A Pedagogical Guide to Suzuki Violin School, Volume 4 Using the Suzuki Method
A Document Submitted to the Graduate school of the University of Cincinnati
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
in the Performance Studies Division of the College-Conservatory of Music
May 2012
by
Yera Lee
M.M., University of Cincinnati, 2005 B.M., Kyung Hee University, 2003
Committee chair: Won-Bin Yim, DMA
ABSTRACT
Shinichi Suzuki established a highly influential and widely used method of musical instruction known as the Suzuki Method. Developed first for the violin, but now used for a variety of instruments, his method was based on his view that every child can be highly developed if he is given the proper training and learning environment. The
Suzuki Method is based on repetition and constant review, and the volumes of music and instruction demonstrate a carefully graded approach to musical instruction. Suzuki wrote extensively about his techniques, but many of those ideas do not make it themselves into the Suzuki Violin School. Volume Four of Suzuki Violin School is the beginning of intermediate study and introduces new techniques such as shifting, positioning, and vibrato. Of all the volumes in the Suzuki Violin School, it is the most problematic, because the difficulty increases substantially over that of Volume Three, both in the pieces and in the techniques introduced. This document addresses this problem, and gives a plan for overcoming these difficulties. As such it will be beneficial for the teacher and student who use the Suzuki Method.
ii
Copyright © 2012 by Yera Lee
All Rights Reserve
iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My sincere thanks be to the almighty God for his abundant blessings and guidance on completing this document.
Special thanks to Dr. Won-bin Yim, my great adviser and a kind mentor, for his outstanding teaching and various support. I also thank Dr. Pietro Millewski and Dr. Kurtmann Sassmanshaus for their great help on academic achievements during my school years.
Sincere thanks to my loving family. My parents and younger sister Sara Lee supported me with prayers in Korea. Much help, support, and sweet memories in many ways from my older sister Bora Lee and bother-in-law Joseph Kim, while studying together at CCM. Lastly, I want to recognize my wonderful husband Jae Young Jang whom I met in Cincinnati. Without his endless support and warm care, and also for the love from our little angel Joy Jang, I wouldn’t be as happy as I am now.
iv TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT...... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...... iv
PREFACE...... 1
CHAPTER I. BACKGROUND OF SUZUKI METHOD AND PHILOSOPHY...... 2
CHAPTER II. VIOLIN TECHNIQUES INTRODUCED AND DEVELOPED IN SUZUKI VIOLIN SCHOOL, VOL. 4 ...... 10
Tonalization ...... 11 Scale practice ...... 13 Position practice ...... 14 Shifting practice ...... 15 Vibrato ...... 17 Double stop ...... 17 Trill ...... 19
CHAPTER III. PEDAGOGICAL GUIDE TO SUZUKI VIOLIN SCHOOL, VOLUME 4 ...... 21
Concerto No. 2 in G Major, Op. 13, 3rd Movement by F. Seitz ...... 21 Concerto No. 5 in D Major, Op. 22, 1st Movement by F. Seitz ...... 32 Concerto No. 5 in D Major, Op. 22, 3rd Movement by F. Seitz ...... 41 Concerto No. 6 in A Minor, Op. 3, 1st Movement by A. Vivaldi ...... 50 Concerto No. 6 in A Minor, Op. 3, 3rd Movement by A. Vivaldi ...... 61 Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV, 1043, 1st Movement, Violin II ...... 69
CONCLUSION ...... 79
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 80
v COPYRIGHT PERMISSION
Suzuki Violin School, Volume 4 Violin part Revised Edition by Dr. Shinich Suzuki © Copyright 2008 by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
vi PREFACE
Shinich Suzuki (1898-1998) established one of the most internationally recognized and influential methods for musical education. Based on years of private teaching in his native Japan, Suzuki codified his method in the Suzuki Violin School, first published in 1978. The popularity of this method grew quickly and it is now taught in over forty countries. The Suzuki Association exists to maintain teaching standards as well as to update the method from time to time.
Volume four of the Suzuki Violin School marks the beginning of intermediate studies within the method. In this volume, students begin to study new techniques such as vibrato, shifting, and positioning. Although, these techniques will be continually developed throughout the student’s violin education, the ground-work must be carefully learned in this volume. The problem is, volume four is substantially more difficult than volume three in a way that can be detrimentally frustrating for many students. Every piece in this volume is a concerto movement, containing complex and tricky rhythms as well as difficult violin techniques such as harmonics, double stops, multiple stops, and frequent key changes.
This document is designed to provide a sufficient guide for the introduction of techniques mainly drawing from Suzuki’s own methods, and smooth over abrupt changes in Suzuki’s grading. As proper preparation to learning new pieces and teaching new techniques is perhaps the most important aspect of Suzuki’s teaching methods, this study demonstrate practical approaches that should be beneficial to both student and teachers.
1 Chapter I. Background of Suzuki Method and Philosophy
Shinichi Suzuki (1898–1998) established one of the most internationally recognized and influential methods for musical education. Based on years of private teaching in his native Japan, Suzuki codified his method in the Suzuki Violin School, first published in 1978. The popularity of this method grew quickly and it is now taught in over forty countries. Suzuki developed his theories initially for the instrument he himself played, the violin, but the Suzuki method now includes courses for piano, cello, flute, viola, and guitar. Although each instrument has its own repertoire, the basic teaching techniques and philosophy are the same. The Suzuki Association exists to maintain teaching standards as well as to update the method from time to time.
Suzuki was born in Nagoya, Japan in 1898. His father was a famous violin maker in Japan and from a very early age, Shinichi worked for his father and learned the craft of violin making. Although he was surrounded by violins for his entire childhood, Shinichi was not allowed to play the instrument, and was instead supposed to focus on his general education. Shinichi, however, inspired by his favorite recordings, including one made by
Mischa Elman, wanted to learn to play the violin. He began to teach himself at age seventeen, and according to his own account, he learned by listening to recordings and then trying to imitate what he had heard. Eventually his father changed his opinion and supported his son’s musical development.
Suzuki went to Germany to study violin at age 22. He spent eight years there studying with Karl Klinger of the Berlin Conservatory. He also came under the influence of Dr. Albert Einstein, an accomplished violinist himself. It was also in Berlin, where
Suzuki was exposed to a tremendous amount of musical activities including private
2 musical gatherings as well as public concerts. Evelyn Hermann argues that it was in
Germany where the first seeds of what would become the basis of his method developed:
Suzuki was acutely aware of his own difficulty as an adult in learning the German language, while equally amazed at the ease with which German children conversed. He began to realize that children everywhere can speak their mother tongues fluently and without failure. This realization was the seed of his life’s work––his search to discover how children might use the way they learned their mother tongues to master other difficult skills, such as playing the violin.1
In Germany, Suzuki also married a young German singer, Waltraud Prange.
Suzuki returned to Japan in the 1930s and taught music at the Imperial School of
Music and at the Kunitachi Music School in Tokyo. During this time, he gained experience working with children and developed many of his ideas. Already, the concept of listening was a central focus in his instruction.
World War II was an especially difficult time for Suzuki and his family. His father’s violin workshop was bombed by American war planes and one of his brothers was killed as a result. The family was left penniless and Suzuki decided to leave his teaching positions and move to a nearby city, where he constructed parts for wooden airplanes to raise some money. This was a time of intense poverty but Suzuki gave lessons to orphaned children in the city where he lived and continued to develop his teaching strategies and philosophies.
In 1945, Suzuki moved his family to Matsumoto and began teaching at the new
Matsumoto Music School, where he would remain throughout the rest of his career. At first, the students under Suzuki had to share one small violin. He modeled his approach on the way in which children learn their mother tongue, and he combined this strategy with an appropriate repertoire for the violin. In 1946 Suzuki named his method “Talent
1 Evelyn Hermann, A Biographical Sketch (American Suzuki Journal, February 1998), 52.
3 Education.” As his students progressed, word of his work spread throughout Japan.
Teachers came to Matsumoto to study Suzuki’s method and then established Talent
Education branches in cities across the country. Soon Suzuki’s method became known outside of Japan and musicians and educators from many countries found their way to the small mountain town of Matsumoto to observe his method. With the publication in the
1970s of his Violin School, the Suzuki method became one of the foremost methods for instrumental instruction. Suzuki died at his home in Matsumoto, Japan on January 26,
1998.
Suzuki believed that talent is not an accident of birth, but that the potential of every child can be highly developed if he is given the proper training and learning environment.2 He based his musical pedagogy on his perceptions of how people learn their first language. He observed very carefully the way in which small children learn to speak, and the role of adults, especially that of the mother, in this process. He named his musical pedagogical concept the Mother-Tongue Method, and if reduced to its basic elements, it focuses on hearing and repetition.
In the Suzuki method, listening is one of the most important aspects. Because children learn to speak by listening and imitating the spoken language they hear around them, Suzuki emphasized the importance of using recordings as a teaching tool. He maintained that students should listen daily to recordings of the repertoire on which they are working. By listening to the recordings, student will learn to imitate the sound, rhythm, and articulation. He also argued that the more frequently the student listens to the recordings, the more easily he will learn to play the piece. This is important for
2 Suzuki Method International, An Introduction to the Suzuki Method (New Jersey: Birch Tree Group Ltd., 1984), 5.
4 students to learn individual pieces, but on a larger scale, constant listening to music performed with beautiful tone provides the child with a role model for his playing.
In the Suzuki method, repetition is also crucial to learning. Suzuki said that good musical training cannot be attained by merely “playing through.”3 The teacher needs to break up a piece into small units and then have the student play these many times over.
This allows the teacher to address specific techniques that are used within the piece as well as teach the piece as a whole. This type of slow work enables students to achieve complete mastery of each step before others are added. When coupled with listening, these approaches allow a student to carefully master violin techniques as well as the repertoire within each of the Suzuki books.
Essentially then, Suzuki’s approach is based on concurrent review and progress.
When a student begins a new piece that will challenge him, equal emphasis is placed on increasing the ease in execution for the pieces already learned. Therefore the student spends part of each practice session reviewing “old” pieces, and it is with these pieces that he applies skills and techniques. As Linda Wickes puts it, Suzuki “found it is much easier to introduce new technical matters such as shifting, vibrato, or new bowings in simple, familiar material, so that the student need concentrate on only one new point at a time.”4 Between the learning of each piece, a preparation period is necessary so that the problems of each new level can be dealt with successfully.5 The importance of good teaching is especially important in the introduction of new techniques. Suzuki, himself,
3 Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured by Love (New York: Exposition Press, 1981), 44. 4 Linda Wickes, 35.
5 Shinichi Suzuki, The Suzuki Concept (Berkely: Diablo press, Inc., 1973), 44.
5 said teachers should know how to play the violin using proper technique and how to teach difficult and complex techniques in a step-by-step manner.
Two other concepts, both pertaining to environment, are important for good instruction in the Suzuki method: the role of the parent and of other students. For Suzuki, the relationship between child, parent, and teacher––what is often called the Suzuki triangle––is essential to the success of the Suzuki method. All members of the triangle are equally important. One of the roles of the teacher is to help the parent become a good
“home teacher.”6 The parent should attend each lesson with the student, take notes and then guide his child through his practice at home. Parents should play the recordings daily, and create an environment of affection, support, and encouragement.
While this relationship between the parent and child is crucial at home, in the studio, Suzuki suggested that the group lesson can also be very valuable for instruction.
Apart from the social contact that tends to make these sessions very enjoyable, they provide a less advanced student with a physical model and with a tangible goal. There is a bit of a positive challenge then that can be very productive. Group lessons are as important pedagogically as the individual lesson.7
The Suzuki method is a practical approach that combines these ideas with actual music. Suzuki’s Violin School is a ten-volume compilation of music, technical studies, and instruction ranging from his own variation set on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, the very first piece, to Mozart’s D Major Concerto K.218 for advanced students. The progression of pieces is carefully graded, and each piece has been carefully chosen for its
6 William Starr, The Suzuki Violinist (Miami, Florida: Summy-Birchard Music), 19.
7 Shinichi Suzuki, Suzuki Violin School, vol. 1 (Summy-Birchard), 5.
6 introduction to various musical styles as well as its usefulness for technical instruction.8
While there is much helpful information for the teacher and the student within the Violin
School itself, Suzuki developed his ideas further in his books, Nurtured by Love and The
Suzuki Concept, which can be considered compendiums to the Suzuki Violin School geared towards the teacher.
While Suzuki’s own discussions of his methods are indispensable for the teacher using his course, there are many secondary sources that contribute much to an understanding of his theories and their application. Two studies that provide detailed biographies of Suzuki and the origins of his thoughts are Evelyn Hermann’s Shinichi
Suzuki: The Man and His Philosophy, and Eric Madsen’s The Genesis of Suzuki: An
Investigation of the Roots of Talent Education.9 As far as a general assessment and guide for teaching the Suzuki method, William Starr’s The Suzuki Violinist is a most important source. In it, he gives specific examples from every volume of the Violin School and detailed discussions of proper teaching techniques. The Genius of Simplicity by Linda
Wickes, like the Starr, is a general study, but is helpful for its concentration on group lessons, performances and techniques.10 Many of the other studies demonstrate that much of the literature focuses on beginning students. Elizabeth Weston Hofeldt and Shirley
Yon Lee, in their D.M.A. theses, provide pedagogical guides for every piece in volume
8 Louise Behrend, The Suzuki approach (Miami: Warner Bros. Publications, 1998), 14. 9 Evelyn Hermann, Shinichi Suzuki: The Man and His Philosophy (Athens, Ohio: Ability Development Associates, 1981); Eric Madsen, “The Genesis of Suzuki: An Investigation of the Roots of Talent Education” (M.M. thesis, McGill University, 1990); For more background, see also Louise Behrend.
10 William Starr, The Suzuki Violinist (Miami: Summy-Birchard Music, 2000); Linda Wickes, The Genius of Simplicity (New Jersey: Summy-Birchard Music, 1982); For another general guide to Suzuki and his method, see also Robert Mitchael Dawley. “An Analysis of the Methodological Orientation and the music Literature Used in the Suzuki Violin Approach” (Ph.D. dissertation, University of Illinois, 1979).
7 one.11 Parents of Suzuki students receive attention as well. Alice Ann Mary O’Neill in her “Parent as home teacher of Suzuki cello, violin, and piano students: Observation and analysis of Suzuki method practice session” and Constance Starr in her To Learn With
Love: A Companion for Suzuki Parents, both investigate the relationship of the student with his parents.12 This literature review demonstrates that there remains a need for practical studies of the Suzuki method, especially in regard to the intermediate levels.
Volume four of the Suzuki Violin School marks the beginning of intermediate studies within the method. In this volume, students begin to study new techniques such as vibrato, shifting, and positioning. Although these techniques will be continually developed throughout the student’s violin education, the ground-work must be carefully learned in this volume. The problem is, volume four is substantially more difficult than volume three in a way that can be detrimentally frustrating for many students. Every piece in this volume is a concerto movement, containing complex and tricky rhythms as well as difficult violin techniques such as harmonics, double stops, multiple stops, and frequent key changes.13 In my teaching experience, most students have trouble with this volume and many of them end their violin studies at this juncture. While certainly, the act of quitting when the difficulty increases should not be excused in any student (or parent for that matter), in my opinion, Suzuki’s grading of these pieces between and including
11 Elizabeth Weston, “The Companion Book to Shinichi Suzuki's Suzuki Violin School, Volume 1” (D.M.A. thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2000); and Shirley Yon Lee, “The Suzuki Beginner: A Teacher's Guide to the Suzuki Principles of Violin” (D.M.A thesis, University of Washington, 1992).
12 Alice Ann Mary O’Neill, “Parent as Home Teacher of Suzuki Cello, Violin, and Piano Students: Observation and Analysis of Suzuki Method Practice Sessions” (D.M.A. thesis, The Ohio State University, 2003).
13 The Suzuki Violin School was revised in 2007, and the editors have added an etude, "Little Suite No. 6," by Bohmall. In my opinion, the newer version increases problems with difficulty and grading rather than addressing them. There are many passages of unnecessarily difficult positioning even though it is a new technique for the students and they are not used to it yet. Because the older version is better in terms of fingering and bowing, it is the one I still use.
8 volumes three and four, contribute to this trend. This document is designed to address this problem, provide a sufficient guide for the introduction of techniques mainly drawing from Suzuki’s own methods, and smooth over abrupt changes in Suzuki’s grading. As proper preparation to learning new pieces and teaching new techniques is perhaps the most important aspect of Suzuki’s teaching method, this study will demonstrate practical approaches that should be beneficial to both students and teachers.
9 Chapter II.
Violin techniques Introduced and Developed in Suzuki Violin School,
Volume Four
By the time students begin Suzuki, Volume Four, they are familiar with many of the basics of violin technique. In Volume One, students learned proper posture and bow grip, both of which are very important for producing quality sound. The teacher should continually watch for any bad habits that may present themselves. They also learned early in their lessons simple bow strokes such as staccato, the longer bow stroke and legato playing. Tonalization exercises as well as scales and arpeggios have been practiced since
Volume One and the student worked on these throughout the first three volumes in first position. Trills were first introduced in Volume Two, and in the last piece of Volume
Three, students must deal with double stops. New notes and rhythms are gradually developed during these volumes, but by Volume Three, students are playing dotted figures.
The difficulty of the pieces progresses gradually throughout the first three volumes, and students are exposed to a wide variety of forms and styles. In Volume
Three most of the pieces are some type of dance form, and rhythmic difficulties are especially important. Volume Four is a bit problematic in this regard because the difficulty increases quickly. Every piece in this volume is a concerto movement including selections from Vivaldi and J. S. Bach. Further, several important but challenging techniques are first introduced in Volume Four including playing in other positions (2, 3, and 4), shifting between positions, and more complex double and triple stops. It is very
10 important that students work on these techniques carefully and this chapter focuses on the techniques that should be developed in Volume Four while the student tackles these more difficult pieces.
Tonalization
Tonalization exercises were for Suzuki among the most important of practice activities and essential preparation for the study of new pieces. He taught that just as singers use a method of vocalization to develop beautiful singing, instrumentalists should work on their tone with great care at every lesson, and cultivate the ability to play with an ever finer tone.14 Suzuki used his own term “tonalization”, and he placed in the early books a series of tonalization exercises to be practiced daily by the students and heard at every lesson by the teacher.15 Each practice session and lesson should begin with tonalization exercises.16 For the first three volumes the student plays the tonalization in first position and should continue to play in this position while also working on other positions in Volume Four.
Both vocalization for voice students and tonalization for instrumentalists involve long note values sounded slowly to allow the student to listen to his tone and focus on the intonation of each pitch. Various dynamics, including crescendos and decrescendos, can be used, but above all, students must be taught to go slowly and to concentrate on what they hear.
14 Shinichi Suzuki., Suzuki Violin School, Volume 2, ed. (Prinston: Summi-Birchard,Inc 2008), 2.
15 Ibid., The Suzuki violinist. 51.
16 Ibid., Suzuki Violin School, Volume 2, 4.
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59 After# learning these positionings, the student can then practice the tonalization in other " & & & & & & & & & & higher positions.
69 When the student plays the tonalization, he should try to produce a beautiful,
# "resonant& tone. He& should go& slowly and& use full& bow.19 At& first, it &is very necessary& for& &
teachers to point out when the sound is good or not, but throughout their training, 79
students# must learn to do this on their own. " & & & & & & 17 Suzuki., Suzuki Violin School, Volume 4, 3.
85 18 Ibid., 4.
# 19 Ibid.,& 16. & & & & & "
12 Scale practice
Scale and arpeggio drills are also very important for developing smooth quick playing and good intonation. Suzuki’s basic drill includes a two-octave scale and three two-octave arpeggios, one in root position, one in the relative minor, first inversion, and one in the four chord of the scale in second position.
While working through Volume Four, the student should play these drills in third position, which will help to develop this recently introduced position.
The keys of the pieces in this volume are G major, D major, A minor, and D minor, and naturally, working on the scale and arpeggios in the same key as the piece will be very beneficial to the student. However, as there are a limited number of keys, and as each piece takes several weeks, the students should also play the scale and arpeggios in related keys to more thoroughly develop their playing. Further, minor keys are not prominent until volume four, and so teachers must explain the minor key here and focus on it. Since Suzuki only publishes the drill in a handful of keys, I provide my students with the rest of them, each showing proper fingering. Speed should be increased gradually and as always, listening for good intonation is crucial.
20 Suzuki., Suzuki Violin School, Vol. 4, 4.
13
Position practice
Volume Four introduces positions two, three, and four. In the new edition, the editors have provided a drill at the end of Volume Three to introduce position two and shifts between positions one and two, but there is no piece that confronts this issue until
Volume Four. As I mentioned above, the tonalization exercise can be used in the other positions and this is good practice for positioning; however this practice is not enough for students to become use to different positions, and students should practice specific exercises for this technique. For this practice, students can play “Perpetual Motion,” a piece included in Suzuki volume 1. Because students are already familiar with Perpetual
Motion, they can focus on position practice rather than rhythm and melody. Students should practice “Perpetual Motion” in position one, then two, three, and four.
14
When a student plays Perpetual Motion in the higher positions, he should listen to the intonation very carefully and pause from time to time to check the intonation with open string such as E, A, D, and G. He should strive for natural finger motion in the high positions like what he uses in first position. After practicing these drills, the student is ready to make exercises out of the specific measures in each piece that are in one of these newer positions.
Shifting practice
Just as the student must practice the new positions diligently, he must also work on the technique of shifting between positions. Shifting is first introduced in the Suzuki method in the Vivaldi Concerto movement of this volume. Students should not wait until they get to this piece to start practicing this difficult technique, but should begin working on it at the beginning of this volume. It will take some time for the students to get used to shifting, but it is crucial for the mastering of the pieces in this volume as well as for their general development. Volume Four uses the second, third and fourth positions, and each one will need to be addressed as they appear. Suzuki gave a few suggestions and
15 examples for shifting exercises in his book The Suzuki Violinist.21 The example shows one of these exercises as well as my transposition of the drill found at the beginning of
Volume Four.
A. The shift from a finger to the same finger in a new position.
B. The shift from a finger to another finger in a new position, with the first finger
used as a guide finger.
C. The shift from a finger on one string to another finger on another string.
When the student plays this exercise, he should play slowly at first and then gradually get faster with many repetitions. The left hand should be the focus of attention especially in shifting to the third position. And the left hand should remember the right place of third position. If the student practices these drills every day during Suzuki Volume Four, they will develop good shifting technique.
21 Ibid., The Suzuki Violinist.
16 Vibrato
Vibrato is an advanced technique in violin playing and Suzuki suggested that it be introduced in Volume Four. The latest edition actually includes the vibrato exercise in
Volume Three. Acquiring a fine vibrato––produced by a regular pulsating change of pitch and hand movements––generally takes a long time; even if the teacher introduces it to the student in Volume Three, it will still need to be a main focus of lessons throughout
Volume Four. It should be taught slowly and carefully along with other material using
Suzuki’s own suggestions.
1. Place fingers 1, 2, 3, and 4 lightly on the A string. Glide the fingers back and forth on the string maintaining the frame of the hand. The movement should initiate from the wrist. 2. Practice with each finger in place by itself. Support the contact point of each finger with the thumb. The fingertip and the thumb should be the only two points of contact. With each fingertip firmly in place and the weight of the wrist, arm, and entire left hand placed on the string, loosen the joints so they can move freely along the axis of the string. 3. Practice this exercise with an even, steady, rolling motion. Begin with the third finger on the A string; then try this with the other fingers separately. Repeat these steps with the fingers on the E, D, and G strings.22
Double Stop
One of the most difficult violin techniques is the act of playing double stops, where two notes are played simultaneously. Double stops first appeared in the last piece
22 Suzuki, Suzuki Violin School, vol.3., 9.
17 of Suzuki vol. 3, Bouree. In Bouree however, these double stops were played with open strings, a relatively easy maneuver which does not require the fingers to be put together.
In Volume Four, however, the double stops are more complex, and there are many of them, such as continuous double stops in the third movement of Seitz’s Concerto No. 5.
If students practice double stops with the following exercises, they will be able to apply them when they occur in the music. Double stops should be practiced in the following steps.
1. Practice the two strings simultaneously with “pepperoni pizza” rhythm.
##### # ##### # ! ##### # ##### # ! " !
When students practice double stops, they should listen to their sound and make sure the two strings are sounding steadily and evenly. Practice with all the strings, for example:
G-D, D-A, and A-E.
2. Practice the double stops with string crossings. Preparation for the next strings
should occur at each rest. Students should memorize the elbow posture and
contact point of each string pair.
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18 3. Practice the double stops with fingering.
When students play double stops with fingers on D string, they should not touch A string with fingers. If students touch the A string, A string cannot make a ringing sound.
Students can place the fingers more on the G string side instead of A string.
Trills
Suzuki suggested that trill exercises become a part of daily study until the teacher determines that their goal has been achieved, which usually takes a considerable amount of time. Teachers can utilize the trill exercises found in Suzuki Volume Two. Suzuki suggested that the student practice both exercises on all strings and teachers should watch for the maintaining of the correct position of the left hand.
< Example > Trill exercise in Suzuki Volume Two p. 24
While practicing this drill, the student’s first finger should be on the string until the sixteenth rest, and he should play it with steady rhythm and finger motion.
19 When students apply trills to a piece, have the student play first without the trill to ensure correct rhythm, and then play with the trill. Remind the student that the number of trills is determined by the rhythm. I suggest two turns for one quarter note and one turn for an eighth note.
20 Chapter III. Pedagogical guide to Suzuki Violin School, volume 4
In this chapter, I will present a guide to teaching, practicing and learning the pieces in Suzuki Violin School, Volume Four while developing the techniques sufficiently for future study. The pieces in this volume are Concerto No. 2 in G, Op. 13, third movement and Concerto No. 5 in D, Op. 22, first and third movements by Fritz
Seitz, Concerto in A minor, Op. 3, No. 6, first and third movements by Antonio Vivaldi, and the Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043, first movement, by J. S. Bach.
Each piece will be divided into the number of weeks that the student should devote to it.
The guide will focus on a limited number of measures and two to three technical difficulties that should be prepared carefully. Also provided will be the drills the student should work on while they practice these pieces as well as some background information the teacher can give to the student as new composers and concepts are introduced.
Concerto No. 2 in G Major, Op. 13, 3rd Movement by F. Seitz
As the first piece, the third movement from Seitz’s Concerto No. 2 in G, Op. 13 is presented to the student, an introduction of the concerto is in order. The concerto comes from the Italian word concertare, which means to “join together.” As a genre, it originated in the Baroque period (1600–1750). It began as a piece for voice and instruments usually of a sacred nature. Later in the seventeenth century, it was used to designate a piece for soloist or small ensemble and orchestra, which is the meaning that has continued until the present. Teachers could also mention some of the major
21 composers, including Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and others, who have contributed to the violin concerto and perhaps play an example or two.
Other important issues at this point are the concepts of tutti––these are the times the orchestra plays and the soloist is silent; often the orchestral melody is written in small notes in the violin score, but is not intended to be played––the piano reduction of the orchestra parts, and the notion of the soloist “versus” the orchestra which is a common aspect of the concerto genre.
The first piece to play is the violin concerto. Students might be unfamiliar with concertos, so the teacher should teach students the concept of concerto. Concerto usage derived from the original Italian meaning of concertare and its derivatives “to join together”, a meaning present in English as “to work in concert”.23 A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin (occasionally, two or more violins) and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. In a concerto, music has more variety and complex texture in terms of rhythm and key changes. Furthermore, there are many orchestra tutti parts, so students should be use to counting rests in orchestra parts. In concertos of Suzuki Violin School, there are piano arrangements. In the violin score, there are also orchestra parts even though the violinist does not play it. It marks as smaller notes than usual. It is not for solo violin but for the orchestra, so students do not need to play it. However, students should understand the whole musical setting by teacher playing the orchestra part with the violin or piano.
Next, the teacher should give some background of the composer. Fritz Seitz was a
German Romantic composer. He is mainly remembered today as a pedagogue and his concertos, including the ones in this present volume, are ideally suited for intermediate students. The concertos are mainly played in first position and are relatively simple in
23 Harvard dictionary p. 186
22 rhythm, but include changes of mood and some challenging violin techniques such as double stops and spiccato.
Week 1
While beginning this piece this week, the student should practice the tonalization in Suzuki Vol. 3, page 8. They should practice in positions one and three, but his piece will only use position one. They should also practice the scale in the key of this piece, G major. In this piece, there are several double and triple stops, so I suggest that the student practices it from chapter II during this piece.
The meter of this piece is 6/8, which will be unfamiliar to the students as this is the first time it appears in the Suzuki method. I have designed that the first week of practice be geared towards familiarizing the student to this meter. In the lesson, tapping and counting in the meter will help to get the student on track. Next, I have arranged
“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” from Volume One in many of the most common rhythms associated with this meter.
$ $! % % %! %! % % % % % % % % # $ " %! %! ! ! ! ! ! ! %! %! %! %! %! %! ! ! ! !
11 $ $ % % % % % % %! %! % % % % # $ %! %! %! %! ! ! ! ! %! %! %! %! % % ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
$ $ # $ %! %! %! %! %! %! & & & & & & &
32 $ $ # $ & & & & & & & & & &
42 $ $ # $ & & & & & & & & & & 23
52 $ $ # $ & & & & & & & & & &
62 $ $ # $ & & & & & & & & & &
72 $ $ # $ & & & & & & & & & &
82 $ $ # $ & & & & & & & & & 0 $ $! % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % # $ " % % % % % % % % % % % %
7
$ $ % % % % % % % % % % % % # $ % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %
14
22 $ $! & & & & % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % $#$ $ " % % % % % % % % ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # $ & & & & & & & & & &
9 32 $ $ & & & & $ % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % #$ $ ' ' ' ' % % % % % % % % # $ & & & ' &' ' & ' &' ' & ' ' & & &
17
27 $ $$ ! & & & & % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % 52 #$ " % % % % % % % % ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' $$ #$ $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # $ & & & & & & & & & & 9 37 $ $$ % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % & & & & 62# $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % $$ ' ' ' ' #$ $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # $ & & & & & & & & & & 17
47 $ $ 72 $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( #$ $ $ $ $ & & & & & & & & % % % % % % % % #$ $ $ (! ' ( ' (' '( % ' %( % ' % (% ' % % '( % ' ( ' ( ' '( # $# &" % %&% % %& % % &% ( &( ( ( &( ( ( & ( ( &( ( ( & ( ( (& ( 27 $ 577 $ 82 $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( #$ $ $ $ % % % % % % % % #$$$$ (' ' ( ' (' % ' (% % ' % (% ' % % '(% % ' %(% ' % % '( % % ' %( % ' % %(' % ##$ ( & ( ( ( &( ( ( &( ( ( (& ( ( &( ( ( (& ( ( (& ( ( ( & ( ( (&( ( 37
67 $ $ 14# $ ( ( ( (
62 $ $ # $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( $ $ # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
72 $ $ # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
82 $ $ # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) $ $! % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % # $ " % % & % % & % % & % % & & & & & & & & &
7 $ $$ % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & % % & #
14
22 $ $! & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & $#$ $ " % & & % & & % % % % % % % % % & & % & & # $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
7 32 $ $ $ % & & % & & % % % & & % & & % % % & & % & & % & & % & & % & & % & & # $ $ & & & & & & & & # $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
14
24 52 $ $! %%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%% $ $$ %%%%%%%%%%%% ##$$$ "' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 5 34 $ $ % % % % % % % % % % % % #62 $ $ % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % # $$$ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 9
72 $ $ # $ * * * * * * * * * *
82 $ $ # $ * * * * * * * * * By using a piece they know extremely well, the student can concentrate solely on the new problem. The rhythms in these exercises get progressively more complicated. Also, many of them, including example 5, 8 and 9, are found in the concerto. This week, the student should master these drills and then tap and count through the movement without actually playing.
Week 2 (mm. 8–36)
The student keeps practicing double stops from chapter II this week. There are three major technical difficulties found in these measures and students should first focus on these places in their practice.
The Up Bow Stroke (mm. 8–14)
In measures 8 through 14, the first two two-note figures both need to be played with up-bow strokes.
The teacher needs to demonstrate the act of bowing up in the first figure, stopping without lifting, and then continuing the up-bow for the second figure. Many students will try to lift the bow and return, but they instead need to play with a minimum of movement.
Have the students make a drill of these places independently in mm. 8, 9, 10, 13 and 14, slowly and then faster. Then have them play the whole passage (8–14) slowly and gradually increasing speed in subsequent repetitions. These figures return at measure 28.
26
Double stops (mm. 19–20)
Measures 19 and 20 include double stops. Students are now practicing this
technique in their drills and can apply it to this passage. The student should play these
measures first only sounding the melody and then play it slowly as written.
% % $ & & & & & & ! & ' ' ' ' ' ' # " & & & & & Next play as written. 9 $ # $ '& % &%'% % ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ! % % ' ' ' ' ' ' # " % % % % % % % % % % % % & 19 9 After the student has mastered these three technical difficulties, he should begin to $ #$ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' #practice' the whole' section. 'He should' start slowly' making 'sure his rhythm,' melody,' and ' '
29 intonation are correct, and then throughout the week, he should gradually increase speed. 19 $ & # ' ' ' ) ) *! ' ' ' ' ' $ ' ' ' (' ' ' ' ' ' ' # Week 3 (mm. 48–83) 38 There are three major technical difficulties found in these measures and students 29 $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' #should$ first focus on these places in their practice. # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
48 Tenuto (m. 66) 39 $ ' The one 'new technique' introduced' in this' section 'is the tenuto' playing' that ' ' #$ #occurs 'in measure' 66. Tenuto' can mean' either to' hold the note' its full' length (or' longer, ' '
58 with slight rubato) or else play the note slightly louder. Furthermore, there are fortissimo 49 $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' #markings$ so these notes should be played their full length and a louder for emphasis. # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' When students play this section, they need to use more bow and remain closer to the 68 59 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # 27 78 69 $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' #$ # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 85 79 $ ' ' ' ' ' ' #$ # ' ' ' ' ' '
85 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' bridge to make a louder sound. Students can practice the tenuto with “Twinkle Twinkle
Little Star.
% % # # $% $% $ $ &% % % $% $% % % $% $% % # ! $ $ $ $ $% $% $% $% & $ $ $% $% &% $ $% " % % %
8
# # "Now# students' can' apply the' tenuto 'to this piece.' ' ' ' ' '
18 # # " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
28
difficult38 section. It should be divided into its two main melodic passages, mm. 48–62 and # # then 63"–83.# For each' of these' passages,' the' student' should, 'as always,' start slowly' and' '
make sure he is playing the rhythms and notes correctly with proper intonation and 48 # # gradually " increase# ' the speed.' In the' first passage,' legato' playing' is especially' ' important' ' and the student should notice the many repetitions of a rather limited amount of melodic 58 material. The# # rhythms of the second passage is especially difficult, but if the student has " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' been practicing the “Twinkle, Twinkle” drill using this rhythm [no. ], they will be used to 68 this rhythm.# # Legato playing is equally important in this passage. I suggest the student " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' practices this section with different articulations that William Starr discusses in the
context78 of this passage. # # # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 1)." Practice slowly with short separated bow strokes for each note. Put fingers down quickly and strongly. 85 # ## % % $ " %' '% %%' % ' % ( ' ' ! % % % % % %% % %% % ' ' ' # " % %%% & % %%% & %% %%%
8 $ 28 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
18 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
28 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
38 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
48 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
58 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
68 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
78 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' '
85 $ # ' ' ' ' ' ' 2). Practice slurred staccato with short strokes. Stop the bow at every note and prepare the next note. Put fingers down and raise them quickly.
& & & % %& & & $! % %& % %& % % %& % % % % %& ( %& % % % % % % # " % % % %& ' % % % %& ' & & %& % % % %& & & %& ' & %& & & & %& & & & %& %& & & 6 3). Practice as written. Do not use much bow. Make sure all notes are 24 $ clearly articulated, particularly those after string( crossings.% %%%%% % $% %%%%% % % %%%%% % % %%%%% % % %%%%% % $% %%%%% % # ' ' ' ' ' % % 12 $ % % % % % % ' ! % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % $# " % % % % & % % % % & % % % % % & % %%%%% % % ) ) *! + + + + + + + # ' ' 6 21 $ ' $% %%%%% % % %%%%% % % %%%%% % % %%%%% % % %%%%% % $% %%%%% % #The$ minor seconds,& e# to f#, that occur& in m. 72 and others are tricky& and need special& & # + + + + + + + + + + 12attention. By the end of the week, the student should be up to speed in this section.
31 $ % # % Week%%%% 4% (mm.% & 84(–(110))! * * * * * * * $ & # This+ week, +students will+ focus on+ fast, running+ sixteenth+ notes +played staccato+ and + + 21 41 chords.$ For running sixteenth notes, students can practice example 8 from the first week * * * * * * * * * * #$ #drill. The+ student +also should+ practice +the double+ stop and +triple stop +drills in chapter+ II. + + 31 Running sixteenth notes (mm. 84–93 and 103–06) 51 $ * * * * * * * * * * # $ The running sixteenth notes in these passages are intended to be played staccato. # + + + + + + + + + + 41Ultimately, this type of passage should be played with a bouncing bow, but this technique 61 $ is one that* is very* advanced *and generally* introduced* later.* In Suzuki’s* own recording* of * * #$ + + + + + + + + + + #this piece, he does not use a bouncing bow, and so downplays the staccato. I think this is 51 71 a $good approach approach here. Playing lightly with relaxed wrists is still very important. * * * * * * * * * * #$ #Students+ should begin+ their +practice of+ these passages+ by using+ the rhythm+ to play+ + + 61 81 $ # * * * * * * * * * * $ #24 Suzuki violinists,+ 122. + + + + 71 86 $ 29 #$ * * * * * * * * * * # + + + + + 81 $ # * * * * *
86 $ # * * * * * “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Then students should play these passages using eighth
notes to focus on intonation.
% % % % % $! %&% % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % # " % % % % %$% % % % % % %
7 Next the student can play as written. $ % % % ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # % % %
16 % %%% %% % % % % $! %%&%%%%%% %% %%%%%% $%%%% %%%% %% %%%%%% $# " %%%% %% # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 5 % % % % 26 $ %%%% %%%% %%%% # %%%% %%%% %%%% %% ' ' ' $ Chords (mm. 94–95 and 107%%–%08)% %% # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 11 At measures 94–95, students should practice the melody first. $ 36# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' $ ' '( '( &% ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 21 # $! % % # " ' ' ' )! * * * * * * $ % % % # ' & ' & ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 46 9 Next,$ I have provided a drill for practicing the double stops on the open strings. 31# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' $ ## '* ''* ' '* ' * ' *' '* ' * ' * ' * * 56 $! % % 41 # " % & % %& % %& (! ) ) ) ) ) ) $ % % % % % % 19#$ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Then,$ the student will use first finger and third finger in the chords when they play as 9 * * * * * * * * * * #66 51 written.$ $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ##$ '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' 29# $ ' ' % 196176 $!* * % * * * * * * * * #$# " % & % & % & (! ) ) ) ) ) ) $ ' % % ' % % ' % % ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ### )' )' )' ) ' ) ' ) ' ) ' ) ' ) ) 39 719 84 $ 29 $$ ## $ '*) ' *) ' *) ' *) ' *)' '*) ' *) ' *) ' *) *) # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' $ 81# ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 49 30 19 $ #$ ' ' ' ' ' 39 $ * * * * * * * * * * ## ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 86 $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) #$ 59 ' ' ' ' ' 29# $ 49 $ * * * * * * * * * * ## ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) $ # ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 69 39 $ 59 $ * * * * * * * * * * ## ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) $ # ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 79 49 $ 69 $ * * * * * * * ## ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) $ # ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 86 59 $ 79 $ * * * * * * ## ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) $ # ) ) ) ) ) ) 69
85 $ # ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) $ # ) ) ) ) ) ) 79 $ # ) ) ) ) ) ) )
86 $ # ) ) ) ) ) ) For the double stops at measures 107–108, they will also have to use fingers,
which makes these chords more difficult than those earlier in the piece. The following
steps will help the student master this passage.
a) Play the 3 notes separately from the bottom note.
$ $ $ % %$ #! % % " ! % & % & ' % & % & ' ( ( ( ( % % % %
9 b) Play the melodic line without harmony in the written rhythm and bowing.
# " ( % ( %( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( % ' % '& $! & # " ( ( ( ( * * * * * * 19 '& '& )! # 10" c) (Play the double( stops( as written.( ( ( ( ( ( ( $ * * * * * * * * * * # ( ( 29 & &% $! % # " ' % ' ' % ' *' ' +! , , , , , 20 % % " (% ( % ( ) ( % ( ( ( ( ( ( $ & & &! * * * * * * * * * * 10#After working on these two main issues, the running sixteenth notes and the chords, the 39 $ #student# , can begin, to put this, passage together., , , , , , , 30" ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( $ 20# * * * * * * * * * * 49 $ # # , , , , , , , , , , 40" ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( $ 30# * * * * * * * * * * 59 $ # # , , , , , , , , , , 50" ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( $ 40# * * * * * * * * * * 69 $ # # , , , , , , , , , , 60" ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( $ 50# * * * * * * * * * * 79 31 $ # # , , , , , , , , , , 70" ( ( ( ( ( ( $ 60# * * * * * * * * * * 85 $ # # , , , , , , , , , , 80" ( ( ( ( ( ( $ 70# * * * * * * $ , , , , , , , , , , 86# $ * * * * * 80# $ # , , , , , ,
86 $ # , , , , , Concerto No. 5 in D Major, Op. 22, 1st Movement by F. Seitz
This concerto movement is also by Seitz and shares many features with the previous piece. One main concern throughout practice of this piece will be controlling the bow. There are also many sixteenth note passages as well as string crossings and double stops. This piece will take about four weeks to master.
Week 1 (mm. 15–34)
While beginning this piece this week, the student should practice the tonalization.
They should practice in positions one and three, but this piece will only use position one.
They should also practice the scale in the key of this piece, D major.
Triplet rhythm mm. 30–33
The triplet rhythm occurs frequently in this piece and although students have seen it before, they will need to review what they have learned before. This rhythm first appeared in “Witches’ Dance” in Volume Two. The student should review this piece at this time. Then the student should practice the triplet rhythm using “Perpetual Motion.”
To help the student understand the notes to one beat, the teacher should play this piece in quarter notes allowing the student to play in triplets.
32 When practicing this rhythm, the student should make an even sound quality between the
down bow and the up bow. Now the student can apply this drill to measures 30–31. # Like with" #the! drill,$ the teacher$ can help$ by playing$ in quarter$ notes matching$ the$ first note $ % % & of each triplet figure.
10 3 3 3 # ' ' ''' #! ''' ''''' '' ''' '' '' $ $ $ $ $ " ' 3 ' 3 3 3 3
17 # ' ' #! ' ' ' ' $ $ $ $ $ " ' '
24 ' Sometimes# these triplets include slurs. The following drill will help. " # $ $ $ $ $ $ $ % & $ 3 3 3 $ # # $ $ $ $ 33" # ! $ $$$ $$$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ % % % % # 3 3 3 3 3 " # $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 7 # # "Now43# the %student can% apply this% drill to measures% 32% –33. % % % % % # # $0 3 $ $ 3 $3 $ $ $ $ $ $ " $ 17 ## $ $ $ $$ $ $ $$ " ! $$$ $$ $$ $$$ $$ $$ % % % % # # 3 3 " 53# % 3 % 3 % % 3% % % % % % 7 Looking# ahead to future weeks of practice, the student should also notice that these " # $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 27 # "triplets# are% also evident% beginning% in measure% 52% and following.% % % % % # # 63# % % % % % % % % % % " 3 3 ## #$ 17 ##! $ $ $$$$ $$ % % &$ ' $ ( $ ( $ ( $ ( $ ( $ "" #$ $$ $$ 3 37 # 3 " # % % % % % % % % % % # # 8" 73# % % % % % % % % % % # # 27" "# #( $ ( $ ( $ ( $ ( $( ($ ($ ( $ ( $ 47 ## " # % % % % % % % % % % ## 18" 82 % % % % 33 % % % % % % # # 37" "# #( $ ( $ ( $ ( $ ( $( $( ($ ($ ( $ 57 # " # % % % % % % % % % % # # 28" # % % % % % % % % % % # 47" # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 67 # " # % % % % % % % % % % # # 38" # % % % % % % % % % % # 57" # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 77 # " # % % % % % % % % % % # # 48" # % % % % % % % # 67" # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 84 # " # % % % % % % % % % % # # 58" # % % % % % % % # 77" # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # " # % % % % % % % 68 # 84" # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # " # % % % % % % % 78 # " # ( ( ( ( ( ( (
85 # " # ( ( ( ( ( ( Double stop (m. 34)
There is a double stop at measure 34. The teacher should point out that this is very
similar to measure 94 of the last piece.
The drill for this passage would be to play the measure from the last piece and
then the measure of the new piece. If the student is struggling, he can repeat the drill from
the last piece, which would be the following.
' ' ( # $! #! $ & $ $ & $ ) ) ) * + + + + + + " % $ ! $
9 # Bow stroke (mm. 15–29) " # + + + + + + + + + + Another major focus in this passage, and the whole piece in general, will be long
19bowing to make phrases. As the student practices the opening lines, he should work to # "control# his bow+ speed, an issue+ Suzuki, himself,+ stressed +in terms of proper+ phrasing.25+ + + + +
Students should be able to use long bow strokes with slow bow speed and should change 29 direction# coinciding mainly with slurs. Accented notes are important in this passage as " # + + + + + + + + + + well, and are more frequent here than students may be used to. These measures should be
39played with many repetitions, always with the student listening carefully for these # "articulations.# + + + + + + + + + +
49 ## " + + + + + + + + + +
59
## + + + + + + + + + + " 25 Violinist 123.
69 # 34 " # + + + + + + + + + +
79 # " # + + + + + +
85 # " # + + + + + + Week 2 (mm. 35–59)
The student should continue to practice the tonalization in positions one and three.
For scale practice this week, A minor and E major will be useful, because this section
modulates to these keys. This would also be a good time for the teacher to explain
modulations and accidentals.
Triplet rhythms (mm. 52–58)
This passage is similar to measures 30–33, and the student may have already been
practicing it from the previous week. There is one additional complication concerning
slurs in this passage that occurs in measure 54. Most students have trouble with this
measure because the triplet is grouped together with unusual slurring. Students should
practice it with the following steps.
a) play without the slur
3 3 0 3 # #$ $ $ $ $#$$ #! $ $$$$ $ $#$$$$ % % % % " #$$$ $ 3 3 3 #$$ 3 3
7 b) play without the first note
# " # % 3 % % % % % % % % % # #$ $$ #! $ $ $$ $ $ % % % % % % " #$ $ 3 $ 3 3 17 8 # c) play as written " # % % % % % % % % % % # # % % 4 0 % % % % % % % % " 3 $ $ $ 3 # $ $ $$ #$ #$$$ 27 #! $ $ $ #$$$$ % % % % " #$$ $ $ 3 3 3 #$$ 18 3 3 3 ## "# % % % % % % % % % % "7 Then# the% whole passage% should% be practiced% slowly.% The student% can %gradually %increase % % # 37"speed# on% subsequent% repetitions.% % % % % % % % 28 # # % % % % % % % % % % "# "17 # % % % % % % % % % % # 35 47 # % % % % % % % % % % 38" ## % % % % % % % % % % "## "27 % % % % % % % % % %
# 57 # % % % % % % % % % % 48" ### " # %% %% %% %% %% %% %% %% %% %% "37 # 67 # 58" % % % % % % % % % % ## " ## %% %% %% %% %% %% %% %% %% %% "47
# 6877" # % % % % % % % % % % # # # "" # % % % % % %% % % % % % % % %% 57 # 7884" # % % % % % % % % % % ## "" ## %% %% %% %% % % %% 67 # 85" # % % % % % % % % % % # " # % % % % % % 77 # " # % % % % % % %
84 # " # % % % % % % % Grace notes (mm. 49–51)
These three bars are among the most difficult in the entire piece. There are many
accidentals and grace notes. Students should practice this section with the following few
steps.
a. play with separate bowing in a simple rhythm (no grace note) $ $ $ # %$ $ %$#$ #! $ %$ $ %$ %$ $ $ & ' ' ' " $ %$ #$ $ b. play with separate bowing in the written rhythm 9 # & & & " # ' %$ ' '%$ ' %$ ' ' ' ' ' ' # ! ' )$ ! ' $ ! #$' $ #! ( $)$ ( $)$ )$ $ $ + + + + " $ )$ #$ $ * 19 c. play with slurred bowing in the written rhythm 8 ## " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # + & + +& + &+ + + + + + " %$! ' %$! ' %$! ' ## ( )$)$ )$ $ #$ $)$ 29 " ! )$ $ ( $ * $ $ + + + + $ #$ $ 18 # # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " #d. practice the grace note by itself "8 # + + + + + + + + + + ## 39" + + + + + + + + + + 28 # $! $ ## #! % & & & & & & & " #" ' $ ' ! ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "18 # + + + + + + + + + + ## 499 "e. play+ as written+ + + + + + + + + 38 ## " ## '& ' '& '& ' '& '&' '& '& '& '& '& "28 # &$ &$ &$ # # + % " ( + )$+ % " ( + $ +% " #$( $ + + + + + " #! $! % $)$ $! % $)$ $! )$ $ $ + + + + "# )$ * 19 # $ #$ $ 59" + + + + + + + + + + 48 # 8 # # & & & & & & & & & & "" # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 38 ## "As# the student+ did+ with the material+ in+ week one,+ this entire+ passage +needs to be+ practiced+ + " # 29 # + + + + + + + + + + 69"while paying special attention to phrasing and long bowing. 58 ### 18" # '& '& '& '& '& '& '& '& '& '& "48 # "## + + + + + + + + + + " ## + + + + 36 + + + + + + 39 # 79" + + + + + + + + + + 68 ### 28" # & ' & '& & ' & & ' & '& & ' & "58 # "## + + + + + + + + + + " ## + + + + + + + + + + 49 # 85" + + + + + + + + + + # 78 # # & & & & & & & & & & 38" # ' ' ' ' ' ' "68 # "## + + + + + + + " ## + + + + + + + + + + 59" # + + + + + + + + + + 85 ## 48" & & & & & & & & & & 78 ## "# + + + + + + " ## + + + + + + + + + + 69" # + + + + + + + # # & & & & & & & & & & 58" 85 # " ## + + + + + + + + + + 79" # + + + + + + # # & & & & & & 68" ## 85" + + + + + + + + + + ## & & & & & & 78" # " # + + + + + + +
85 # " # + + + + + + Week 3 (mm. 60–86)
Even though there are no double stop this week, the student should keep
practicing double stops for next week. In this week there are no new techniques
introduced but the passage has several difficulties, especially the running sixteenth notes
that begin in measure 79. The student should use short bow strokes to play this passage.
This bow stroke can be practiced first with perpetual motion.
$ # # $$ $$ $ $$ $$ $$ $ $$$$ $$$$ $$$ $$ " # ! $ $$$$ $ $ $ $ $ $$$$ $ $ $ $$$ $ $
4 After this drill, the student can apply this manner of playing to this section. They should # $ ## $$%& ' ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( "play first with a slow tempo, concentrating on correct notes and good intonation. Then
13they should increase their tempo. # # # 0 " ( ( ( 4 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ #$$$$ ## $$$$ $$$$ $$$ $$$$$ $$$$ $$$ " ! $ $$$ $ $$#$$$ $$ $ 23 # # "The# 4passage( from( measures( 60 to (78 is similar( to earlier( ones( and long,( legato( bowing( is ## % % % % % % % % % % again" the necessary focus of attention. Students should also pay attention to dynamics by 33 # # "using# 14 the( different( sounding( points( and various( pressure( of (bowing. ( ( ( # " # % % % % % % % % % % 43 # # Week 4 (mm. 87–end) " # 24 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # "The# two% major technical% %difficulties% in this% passage% include %string crossings,% %which % 53 is# new# to this piece, and double stops. " # 34 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( String# crossing (mm. 87–88) " # % % % % % % % % % % 63 In this section, students have to change the strings rapidly between the A and E # # " # 44 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( strings. #Up to this point, there have been no continuous string crossings in this manner. " # % % % % % % % % % % 73
# #54 " # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # 37 " # % % % % % % % % % % 82
# #64 # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( " # " # % % % % % % % % % %
74 # " # % % % % % % % % %
83 # " # % % % % % % % % The students should begin by practicing the string crossing without fingering. The
following example increases speed through note values.
0 0 0 # % $ % $ % $ % $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ " #! $ & ' & $ & ' & $ & ' & $ & ' & $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
5
# "Students# ((( (must((( stop((( &the) bow on* the string* they are* currently* playing* before making* contact*
13with the new string. This is a difficult technique that will take patience. Because there is # "not# enough* time* at the fast* speed* to change* the level* of the* elbow, it* should *be kept on*
the E string level throughout. 23 # " # *After mastering* the* open *string crossing,* the* student* can practice* the* string * crossing that includes fingers. 33
# 0 0 0 " # * * * * * * * * * * # $ $ $ $$$ $ $ $ " #! $ $ $ $ $ $ $ ! % % % % % % ! 43 # Finally, the student can play it as written. 8" # * * * * * * * * * * ## % 0 0 0 % % % % % % % % % 53" # $ $ $ $ $$$ $$$ " #! $ $ $ $ $ $ ! % % % % % % # " # * * * * * * * * * * 18
8 # 63 # % % % % % % % % % % "# Double stops (mm. 89 and 94) ## % % % % % % % % % % "" # * * * * * * * * * * The student can practice of the double stops in this passage by focusing on A and 28 1873 E.# # # % % % % % % % % % % "## * * * * * * * * * "" # % % % % % % % % % % ## $ $$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$ 3882 " ! $ $$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$ ! % % % % % % 28 #### * * * * * * * * * ""# % % % % % % % % % % 8" # % % % % % % % % % % # 48" # % % % % % % % % % % 38 ## 38 "# % % % % % % % % % % 18" # % % % % % % % % % % # 58" # % % % % % % % % % % 48 ## "# % % % % % % % % % % 28" # % % % % % % % % % % # 68" # % % % % % % % % % % 58 ## "# % % % % % % % % % % 38" # % % % % % % % % % % # 78" # % % % % % % % % % % 68 ## "# % % % % % % % 48" # % % % % % % % % % % # 85" # % % % % % % % % % % 78 ## "# % % % % % % 58" # % % % % % % % # " # % % % % % % % % % % 85 # 68" # % % % % % % # " # % % % % % % % % % %
78 # " # % % % % % % %
85 # " # % % % % % % Then the student can apply “Perpetual Motion” as a drill by continuously playing a high
open E, while playing the lower notes. The student must be careful that his fingers do not
touch the open E string because it should ring with a clear sound. They should
concentrate their fingers on the D string.
# # $ $ $ $ $ $$$$$ $ $$$$ $$$ $$$$$ $ $ $ $ $ $$$$$ $ $$$$ $$$ $ $ $ " # ! $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
3 This drill is actually a little more difficult than the application in the piece and if the $ # # $$$$$$$$$$$ $$ "student# $$ learns$$$$$ it$ $well,$$$ $he$$ $will$ have% no trouble% in %measure% 89. He %should begin% by %playing
11 the melody without the upper note.
# # $ $ $ $ $$$$$$ $ $ $ # ! $'( $$ $ $ $$$$$$ $ $ % % % % % % " # $$$ $$$ " #&! $ $$$$ $ $$$$ ! % % % % % % ! 18
8 # # ) ) " # $ '( $'( $ '( $'( % * * + % % % % % # & & "Then# the% student should% play% it as written.% % % % % % % 26
# # 18" # % % % % % % % % % % # # % % % % % % % % % % "36 # # # % % % % % % % % % % 28" Measures 94–95 will prove to be a bit more difficult because the double stops are # "46 # % % % % % % % % % % more# # continuous. As they have done before when working on double stops, they should " # % % % % % % % % % % 38 begin by playing separately with a slow tempo. 56 ## % % % % % % % % % % " # $ $ # # # ""# !% $ %$ $ %$ $ %% & % ' % %' % ' % ' % ' ' $ $ 48 66 9 # " ### % % % % % % % % % % # # % % % % % % % % % % "" # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 58 76 39 19 # ### % % % % % % % % % % ""# # % % % % % % % % " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 6884
29 ## # # %% % % % % % % % % % % % %% % % ""# " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 78 # 39" # % % % % % % % # " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 85 # 49" # % % % % % % # " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
59 # " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
69 # " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
79 # " # ' ' ' ' ' '
85 # " # ' ' ' ' ' ' Next, the student can take a rest between each single note and interval. During the
rest, the student should make sure that the bow is ready for contact with the A and E
strings together.
$ $ ## $ $ " ! $ % $ % $ % $ % $ % $ % $ % $ % $$! & % ' ' $ !
8 Finally the student can play measure 94 as written, starting slowly.
# 0 " # ' $% %' $% % ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ## % $ % $ & " ! $ $ $% $ $ $ $% $ $ ' ( ) * * * * * * $ 18 9 ## " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " # * * * * * * * * * *
28 19 ## " # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " # * * * * * * * * * *
38 29 # " ## ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " # * * * * * * * * * *
48 39 # " ## ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " # * * * * * * * * * *
58 49 # " ## ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " # * * * * * * * * * *
68 59 # " ## ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " # * * * * * * * * * *
78 69 # " ## ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " # * * * * 40 * * * * * *
85 79 # " ## ' ' ' ' ' ' " # * * * * * *
85 # " # * * * * * * Concerto No. 5 in D Major, Op. 22, 3rd Movement by F. Seitz
This piece is the third movement of the same concerto as the previous piece. It is in rondo form, and teachers should tell their students that this a normal form for the third movement of a Classical or Romantic concerto. In a Rondo, the principal theme alternates with one or more contrasting themes, generally called "episodes," and so there are several repetitions of the main idea. This piece shares the musical character with the previous concerto movements of Seitz in this volume. However, it is the the most difficult of the three, largely because of the many different rhythmic figures and especially the very long double stop passage (25 measures). This is a hard technique for this level of student, and many if not most have trouble with this section. Furthermore, there is much expressive content, including changes of tempo and mood, ritardandos, articulation, fermatas and other things that add difficulty to the work. According to
Richard Starr, some teachers even omit this piece and return to it later because of the difficulty.26 But, with careful approach this piece can be learned well in about five weeks.
Week 1 (mm. 12–47)
This piece is in D major so students should warm up with that scale this week, and they should practice the tonalization exercises in first and third positions. By far, the greatest difficulty in this piece will be the extended double-stop passage in mm. 117–41; the double stop drills should be practiced by the student every day while they work on this piece.
26 Starr, The violinist, 124.
41 The main theme is played by the soloist beginning in measure twelve and will be repeated three more times in this piece. As for technical difficulties, it does not introduce anything new, but will require the student to focus on proper articulation including fast staccato playing, slurs, etc. Also, the familiar pepperoni pizza rhythm is a constant motive in this passage. The student should learn measures 12–35, slowly and carefully paying attention to these details. Then they should work on measures 36–47 in a similar manner, but should notice how much of the two sections are the same and where the differences occur. Once they know this theme in terms of notes, rhythm, and articulation, they will be ready to focus on issues of musicality.
In this section, there are disruptions to the tempo in the use of ritardandos and
fermatas. In my experience, students do not pick up the concepts of these through
discussion very well, but through many demonstrations by the teacher. There are
fermatas at mm. 30, 34, and 35, and students need to be able to extend the time a bit but
still maintain a sense of the beat. This is also true of the ritardando. The idea of
gradually slowing down is generally one students need to hear, before they do it
correctly. Here teacher demonstration as well as listening to the recording is extremely
important.
42 As the student practices this section during the week, they also need to give special
attention to dynamics. There is a good deal of change within these measures, and
careful bow control is the key.
Week 2 (mm. 117–141)
Double stops in this piece are extremely difficult. I suggest that students work on
this passage for both week two as well as week four.
mm. 117–124
Double stops in the first eight measures of this passage are similar to those the
student has done before because at least one part of the interval is an open string (in this
case it is always the A string). Students should begin by playing the melody alone to
watch for careful rhythm and bowing.
%& %& %& %& & %& %& %& & & % %& % % & %%& % & $$! % % ' %% % % % %% % # " & %%% % & %%%%% % & %%% % & %%%%% % %& & & & %& & & & & & %& & & & %& & & & & &
9 Then1 they can use this drill which works on double stops with string crossings. % %& % & % %& % & & & & %& %& & & & $ % % % % %& % % % % %& & (% % % % %& & $%(% % %& $ (% % % (% % % % % % % % %& %& # $% & $% & # #! " $$ $ "$$ $ ! % % % % % % 16 " ! "$$ $ $ $ "$$ $ $ $ ! $ $ " $ $ $ " $ & & & & " $ "% $%& % & & % %& % & & & & % %& & % %& & & & $ % % % %& & % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % # $ % %& (% %& % (% %& % (% 9 # $%# # # $% # (prepare the open strings) 23 # % % % % % % % % % % " & & & & & %& Next,$$ %the%% student(%% % can& %% play& the intervals in quarter notes. At the points of string crossing, # % % % %%& %%& ) ) ) ) ) ) & & % 19he should prepare the next string and make good contact. 32 ## "$ % % % % % % % % % % # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
4229
$# #" $# ) % ) % ) % ) % ) %) )% ) % ) % ) % %
52 39 $ 43 # #$ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) " # % % % % % % % % % %
62 $ 49# $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) # " # % % % % % % % % % % 72 $$ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 59#
# 82" # % % % % % % % % % % $ # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 69 # " # % % % % % % % % % %
79 # " # % % % % % %
85 # " # % % % % % % $ % % % % % % % % % % $! % % & # " % % % % % % % % % % % % %!% % % % % % % % %%% % % % % %
10After these drills, he should play as written. Measures 117-120 and mm. 121-124 are the $ #same$ in &terms of notes& but &do require& different& bowing. & & & & & ' ' ' ' ' ' $ ' ' '% % %%%' % %%%%' ' ' % % % %%' % %%% % ' $ $!% % %%' %' % %%%' %' ' % % % % % %%' % %%% % ' % 20 #$! " &% % %%% %' %%%%% %%'%%' %%% %' %%%%%% % % % % %% %' %%%%%% % %%' % %% # " &% %%%%% %' %%%%%%'%'%' %%'' %%% %' %%%%%% %%' '% %' %' %%' %%%' %%%%% % %%'%%%'%'%%' % % % %' ' ' ' %' % ' % ' ' ' ' ' % %' ' ' ' %' % ' ' % $ & & 8 8 $ & & & & & & & & & & # 0 0 % %' % %%%''% % ' ' % %' % %%' %% %'' % '' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' $ $% % %%%%% %%' %% % %%%%%%%%(%' %%%%%%%' % (%% %%%' # $ %$%%%%%%%% %%%%(%%%% (%%%%%% %%%% %%%%%%%(%%%% %%% (% %%%%%%%%% % %%% %% % %% %%%% %% %%%%%% # ' %' %'''%%'%%'%$%%%%etc.%% $% %%% %%% 30 ' ' ' ' ' $'% %%' % ' $% %%' % ' ' ' %' %' %' 15 $ 15$ %' %' $&%' (%' ' ' '&' ' & %&%' % %%' %& ' & % %' &% %%' % &' ' & % %' & #$$ %' %' %'% '%'%%%%' ' (%%% % % % %%%%' %% ('%%% % % % %%% %%%%'(% %%%% '% % ' % %' # $% % % %$%%%(%%%%%'% %% %'% %%%% %%' %%%%% %%' %%% $ mm.% % 125% %–%128%%' %' %' %$%%%%%%' %% (%%% % % %$%%%%%%' %%% % (%%% % %% % %%% %% (% %%% % % # %%% $% %%% $% %%% % 4022 ' ' ' ' ' ' %' The%' ' 'next' several' passages' ' will' ' require%' much attention and slow methodical 22$ % %%% % %%%%%% (%% % %% #$$ %% %%'%% % %' %%%' % % % ) ) ) ) $ &' % %' ' ' &' &' % &' % ' %'%' '%&%' %' & & & & & #practice$ %to overcome%%% %the% %continuous%%%% (%% double% %'% stops%%' % with frequent note changes. Suzuki, # $ %% %%%% % %' %%%' % % % ) ) ) ) 30 % % %%' %%' himself, gave some suggestions for this passage as well%' as%' later% ones that will be most 50 $$ #30 ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) useful.$ Before playing the double stop, the student should check each note separately.27 $ $ & & & & & & & & & & 40## $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) $ # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 60 40 50 $ $ $$ & & & & & & & & & & #The#$ student) needs to be) careful )of the placement) of )the first finger) and hold) it through) the ) ) # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) notes that it does not play until it is used for a note again. This same technique is 50 7060 important$ $ for the second finger as well. After playing the notes one at a time, working on $$ $ ) ) ) ) ) )) ) )) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ##$ & & & & & & & & & & this technique, the student should play the double stops in a simple rhythm, like half- 70 60 80notes.$ Once he can play this rhythm well, he should begin slowly to play as written and # $ $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) #$ $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) gradually$ increase& speed. & & & & & 80# 70 $$ ) ) ) ) ) ) # 86 $ # $ 27 Suzuki,) Suzuki) Violin School,) vol. 4, 9.) ) ) ) ) ) ) 86 $ $ & & & & & #$ # 80$ ) ) 44) ) ) $ # $ ) ) ) ) ) )
86 $ # $ ) ) ) ) )
mm. 129–30
These two measures should be learned in the same manner as mm. 125–28.
m. 138
For measure 138, Suzuki provides this drill, which is derived from the mostly step-wise motion of the measure itself. (The students might find it helpful to apply this drill to other similar passages.)
Then, the student can practice this measure as he had the others. The teacher should demonstrate how to play the opening grace note, allowing the student to imitate.
whole passage (mm. 117–41)
Once these particular passages have been learned sufficiently, the student has essentially learned the entire passage as there is much repetition. The teacher should point this out to the student in the lesson. Now, the student must put this group together. At first, he should play only the melody line and work towards expressive and flowing playing.
45 %& %& %& & & & & & & & % %& % & & & $ ! %% % %%%%% % %% % %%% %% % # $" & %' & % % & % & % % %%& %& %& % %& %& & %& %& %%& %& %& % %& %& & %& %& %& %& %& & & & & & & & & & % %& % & & & & & $ ! %% % %%%%% % %% % %%% %% % # $" & %' & % % & % & % 9 % %%%& %% %%& & %& % %%%& %% %%& & %& % 1 & & & & & & & & & & & & % %& % % %& % & % %& % % %& % & & & & & & & %& %& $%& (%& & & 9 $ % % % % % % % (% % % % % % & % % # $ 1 (% %& % & (% %& % & % % %&& & $ $% % % % % %& % & $% % % % % %& % & & (% %& %& %& & & % %$%& (%& %& & $ (% % % % % (% % % % % % % % % % % %& %& % # $% & $% & 16 & & & & & 16 $ %& %& & & % % % % %& % & % % % % %& % & & % %& % % % &%& % % %& %& & $ & & %& % & & (% % %% %& % & %&% (% % %% %& % & & %& % (% & % %& & % %& & & & % #$ % % % %& %& % & % % % % % & % % % % % % % % % % % % # $ % %& $%(% %& % $%(% %& % (% $% $%
2323 & && && && && %&%& $$ % %%% ((%%%% %%&&%%%%&& ) ) ) ) ) ) # % %% %% %%%&%&%%%&%& ) ) ) ) ) ) && && %% 32 32 $ #$$ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Then,# $ he should) add) the other) stop and) play )the whole) passage) slowly )and evenly.) When) he42 can play it well at the slow speed, he can then begin to increase speed but this will take $ 42# $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) some$ time. # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 52 %' %' %' ' ' ' ' % %' % ' $ ' ' '%% % %%%%%' % '%% % %%% %%' $ $! % % %%' ' %%%' ' ' % % % % ' %%% ' # #$ $$"!) &% % %%) %% %'%%%)%%% %%')%' %%%%%)%' %%%%%%)% % % %)% %% %')%%%%%%%) % %%' %)%% %% 52 # " %&% % %%% %'%'%'%'%' %%' %%%%' %' %%% '%' '%'%%' %'%% % % % % %%%' '%' '%'%%'%%%% % %%' % %% % %' ' ' ' %' &% ' ' ' ' ' % %' ' ' ' %' % 8 & $ 0 8 62 $ 0 ' ' #$ ) ) %)%' % %%' %) ' ) % %) %' %%' %) ' ) ' (%)%' %' %' ' ) $$ % (%%% %%%%%%%%%%' %%% ' (%%% % %% % %%%%%%'%%% %' %%%%%% ' %% (%%%%'%%%'%%' ' #$$ %%%%%%% % (%%% % % %%% (%%% % % %% % %%%%%% %%% %%%%% # $ %' %' %)' %' %%'%%'%$%%) %%% ) % %)%% %$%%)%%%% ) % )%%% %%) % ) )%%%% %% # %' ' ' ' %' $% %'%' % $% '%%' % ' ' ' %' %' %' 6215 15 %' %'' ' ' ' ' ' % %' '% ' % %' %' ' ' % %' ' 72 $ % %$$%%'((%%'%'%'' %'%'%'' % % %%%%%%' %%' ' % % %%%%%%' %' '%%% ' % % $$ % % % %%%%% %%%%%%%%%% % (%%% % % % %%% %%%% (%%% % % % %%% %% (%%%%%%%%% ##$$ % %) % %%% )%%%%%%%%)$%% %(%%)% % % %) %%% %$)% %%%(% %)% % % %) %%% %)% (% %%)% % % # $ ) ) '%''%'')%' $% %' %')% ) ) $% ' %)%' % ) ) % ) 22 22 ' ' ' 72 %' %' %%' %'' '' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '' ' % %' 82 $ % %%%%%' %% %%%%%%%'%%(%(%%%%%%% % # $ %% %%%%%%%% %% % % % %% %' %' %%%' %%' % % %% % ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) #$ % % % % %%'%%%%'%% $$ % %%' %%' % # $ )) )) )) ) ) ') ')' ' ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 3030 $ $$ ) )) )) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 82## Week 3 (mm. 61–116 and 142–the end) 40 $ 40 $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) # The student can review the double stop of last week and apply it as written. This $$ ## $ ) )) )) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) week’s lesson consists of a considerable number of measures compared with other 5050 $ $$ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ## $ ) ) ) ) )46 ) ) ) ) )
60 60 $ $$ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ## $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
70 70 $$ # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 80 80 $ # $$ ) ) ) ) ) ) # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) 86 86 $$ # $ ) ) ) ) ) # $ ) ) ) ) ) weeks, but the teacher can point out the many instances of repetition. Also, the new
theme introduced in m. 61 will be for this stage of the Suzuki students rather easy.
There are a few places that should be isolated.
Grace Notes (m. 84)
The main issue in this measure is for the student to play the grace notes without
affecting the rhythm. In my experience, most students go slower at places like this and
they need to practice this embellishment and others like it with a few steps. First, the
student should play without the grace note to get a feel for the beat. The second D needs
to be precisely on beat two of this measure.
$ ' $! % % % % %& ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # "
The teacher should point out that the grace notes form a triplet that occurs on the “and” 10 of$ beat one. # $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ! " 20 % % % % (% % )% )% $$! & & &&& & & & &&& & $# " ' & & ' & & * * * * * # $ ( 3 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
10Next, the student should play the passage with separated bowing while the teacher 30 claps$$ the beat to ensure exact rhythm. Speed should be increased gradually. Finally, the #$ * * * * * * * * * * # $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( student should play as written with the legato bowing. 20 40 Long slurs (mm. 101–103) $$ #$ * * * * * * * * * * # $ The( rhythm beginning( in( measure( 101, along( with the( scalar musical( material,( ( ( will be quite familiar to students. But the bow stroke gives many students some 30 50 problems.$ The beginning note of each measure is a down bow and the other six notes $ $ * * * * * * * * * * # $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( #are tied by slur. Students should not use same amount of bow in the down bow as they
40 60 $$ 47 #$ * * * * * * * * * * # $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
50 70 $$ #$ * * * * * * * * * * # $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
60 80 $$ #$ * * * * * * * * * * # $ ( ( ( ( ( (
70 86 $$ #$ * * * * * * * * * * # $ ( ( ( ( (
80 $ # $ * * * * * *
86 $ # $ * * * * * do with the up bow. When in the down bow, they should move quickly and use more
bow to secure the space for the up bow. For this section, the student can first practice
just the bowing without fingers to focus on the control of the bow speed and amount of
pressure.
$ ! & ( & ( # $" ' ' ) ) ) ) ) ) ) % %! % %! Next, the student should practice measures 101–103 without the slurs and check for 10 correct$ notes. # $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) $ % % % %%% % %%%%% %%% %% % %%% $! % %%% %%% %%% %% % %%%%%% % % %% % 20 # " %%% %% $$ 8# ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) $ #Then,$ && play&&& &as& &written.' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 30 17 $$ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) #$ # $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
40 27 $ $ $ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) # $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
5037
$$ # $$ ' ) ' ) ' ) ' )' ') ' ) ' ) ' ) ' ) ) After# working on these issues, the student should practice the sections like they usually
47 60do: slowly at first, and gradually increasing speed. $ # $$ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # $ Week) 4 (mm.) 117–141)) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
57 This week is a repeat of week two to give the students more time on the double 70 $ stop# $ passage.' If at' the end' of this week,' this' passage' is still 'considerably' slower' than' the $$ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) rest# of the movement, it might be necessary in any performance of this piece for the 67
$ 80# $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 48 $$ ) ) ) ) ) ) 77# $ # $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 86 $ 84# $ ) ) ) ) ) $ # $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' student to play the melody only. After the student improves further, he can return to this piece and more confidently play this section. By the end of the week, the student should be putting the whole piece together.
49 Concerto No. 6 in A Minor, Op. 3, 1st Movement by A. Vivaldi
Vivaldi’s Concerto No. 6 in A minor, Op. 3 is one of the most famous Baroque violin concertos and is a good introduction to the Baroque Concerto and this composer.
Teachers should always give some background information on the composers of the piece to be learned, and Vivaldi was a particularly interesting character. Students generally enjoy hearing how he was called the “red priest” because of his hair and that he worked at a girl’s orphanage. This is also a good time to play a little of the Four Seasons, pieces that the student might recognize. An explanation of Baroque concerto form is also in order. Vivaldi’s first and third movements follow the ritornello principal, in which the main theme, played by the orchestra, alternates with episodes played by the solo violinist, which might be either part of the theme or technical figuration such as scale runs, arpeggios, etc. This concerto fits into this normal scheme quite well.
In the Suzuki Method, from this movement on, the pieces are longer and more complex. The teacher should avoid trying to teach too much in a single week, but allow the students enough time to master the sections they are given. I recommend six weeks for this piece mainly because shifting is introduced in this piece. It is a difficult technique and students will need to prepare carefully to develop it correctly. My approach to this piece corresponds much to the form of the piece. The students will learn the main theme in the tutti sections first, and then move to the episodic soloist sections.
Week 1 (mm. 1–12 and 35–44)
The students should warm up with their tonalization exercise and then practice scales and arpeggios in both A minor and E minor. The shifting drill I provided in chapter
50 two should also be practiced every day as it concentrates on positions one and three, the
positions that occur in this piece (while Suzuki’s drill provided on page 5 of Volume
Four is for position four). It is good for students to work on these passages together for a
couple of reasons. First, the initial tutti provides the material for all subsequent tuttis as
well as some of the solo material. Indeed, measures 35–44 is largely a transposition of the
first tutti. Secondly, measures 35–44 is in first position and so will be a little easier to
learn than measures 1–12 which is in third position. It will help the student to learn these
rhythms and bowings in a position with which he is very comfortable.
First position (mm. 35–44)
As the student learns this section, the main technical difficulty that he will
encounter is the articulation. Tenuto was an issue in the first piece of this volume and the
third movement of Seitz’s second concerto, but it’s use is more prominent here in
Vivaldi’s concerto. We can begin this practice by using “Perpetual Motion” with
continuos tenuto. This drill will coincide with the figure that occurs in measure 35.
$% % % % % % # # % % % % % $% $% % $% $% % $% % $% $% % % % % % $% $% % $% $% % $% % $ $ $ $ $ $% $% " # ! $% $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $% $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $% $%
6 # # " # & & & & & & & & & &
51 16 # # " # & & & & & & & & & &
26 # # " # & & & & & & & & & &
36 # # " # & & & & & & & & & &
46 # # " # & & & & & & & & & &
56 # # " # & & & & & & & & & &
66 # # " # & & & & & & & & & &
76 # # " # & & & & & & & &
84 # # " # & & & & & & & Another frequent figure of this passage is for the tenuto to appear only on the down beat.
The student can utilize “Perpetual Motion” for this as well.
# # % % $$ % $$$$ % " # ! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$ $$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ % %
4 # # % % $% $ $ $ $% $ # # # ! $% $ $ $ $% $ $ $ $% $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $% $ $ $ $% $ $ $ $% $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ "# $%'( ) * + + + + + + + + " &
6 When playing tenuto with perpetual motion, the student should emphasize the first note 13 # ## "by# #using& more bow& and little& more& pressure.& The student& is &now ready& to begin& learning& " # + + + + + + + + + + this passage. Pointing out the many uses of the “pepperoni pizza” rhythm might be 16 23 # # "helpful### &(mm. 38&–41, and& 44). As &always, the& students& should& begin &slowly and& gradually& " # + + + + + + + + + + pick up speed. 26 33 # # First position (mm. 3–12) " ## & & & & & & & & & & ## + + + + + + + + + + " Next the students should learn measures 3 through 12 in a similar manner. This 36 43 passage# is also in the first position and many of the melodic and rhythmic motives are the ## & & & & & & & & & & "# # "same,# but+ in a different+ key.+ + + + + + + +
46 Third position (mm. 1–3) 53 # ## "# # & & & & & & & & & & " # +The two +and a half+ measures+ at the+ beginning+ of this+ movement+ are the+ first time+ 56 the student will encounter position three in an actual piece. But since they have been 63 # ## & & & & & & & & & & "practicing# # the position since the beginning of Volume Four, they should not have too " # + + + + + + + + + + 66 much trouble in applying it to this piece. Because the first note is on an open string, the 73 # ## & & & & & & & & & & "student# # can be ready to play in the third position. He can check the first note (A) with " # + + + + + + + + + 76 open A string to make sure of the placement of the left hand and to check good
82 # # intonation.# & Then they& should practice& the& opening figure.& & & & "# # " # + + + + + + + + + 84 # # " # & & & & & & & 52
The shift occurs in beat two of the second measure in between the A and the G. The
student should practice the following drill to help with this position change.
1 2 # # # # # # ##### # " ! $ $ ! % % % % %
8 " Change to first posistion % % % % % % % % % % "In this drill, the rest allows the student to prepare for the next position. The student
18 should gradually reduce the rest until they are going from the A immediately to the G
"with no% rest. Then,% they are% ready to practice% this% passage %as written.% % % %
28
" % % % % % % % % % % Finally, the students should practice this whole passage.
38
" %Week 2 (mm.% 13–15,% 58–59, 68%–70 and %75–80) % % % % %
In this week’s practice, the student will review the material and technical issues 48 from the previous week, including the scales and drill, and will also learn the remaining " % % % % % % % % % % sections of the movement that are based on the opening material. There is very little that
58 is new this week (mm. 13–15 and 68–70 are exact repetitions of previous material), and " % % % % % % % % % %
53 68
" % % % % % % % % % %
78
" % % % % % % %
85
" % % % % % % this will allow the student time to gain confidence in shifting. measures. 1–12 and 35–45 should be practiced as they were in week one. The student should compare the other passages to the opening tutti as he learns them.
Week 3 (mm. 15–23, 32–34 and 46–57)
This week’s practice will focus on the remainder of the melodic material found in measures 15–23 and an episode (mm. 46–57). Shifting positions as well as string crossings will be key issues.
Shifting (mm. 17–20)
Measures 17–18 involve both string crossings as well as shifting, but it is the latter that requires specific attention. The student should begin by playing measures 17–
18 slowly, using the eighth rest (m. 18, beat 2) to change to the third position. When they are playing this well they should gradually increase speed.
3 $# 1 & ## ! %# # #' #' # ( # # # # * * * * * " # &# ) #' ! 8 change to third position * * * * * * * * * * "The shift back to the first position is more difficult because there is no rest. Before
plaing as written, the student can use the pepperoni pizza rhythm to isolate this shift. 18
4 1 1 " * * #####*# * * * * * * * ##### # ##### # " ! $ ##### # ##### # % % % 28 ! 7 " * * change* to first position* * * * * * * " % % % % % % % % % %
38 17
" * * * * 54 * * * * * * " % % % % % % % % % %
48 27 " * * * * * * * * * * " % % % % % % % % % %
58 37 " * * * * * * * * * * " % % % % % % % % % % 68 47 " * * * * * * * * * * " % % % % % % % % % % 78 57 " * * * * * * * " % % % % % % % % % % 85 67 " * * * * * * " % % % % % % % % % %
77
" % % % % % % %
84
" % % % % % % % As he plays these notes with this rhythm, the student should stop the bow after the
first measure and use the rest to prepare the first finger and the up-bow. Then, he can
play as written, slowly at first.
Third position (m. 34)
Measure 34 should be practice similarly first using the pepperoni pizza rhythm,
which allows for enough time to figure out of the right place of each note.
3 3 1 "2 1 0 4 # # # # # # 1 ! !"2 1 0 4 # # # #$##### # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # " ! ! $# # # # # # # ######## ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # " # # # # # # # # # # # #
4 4 2 2 $###$################### # % & & & & & " " % & & & & & # # ####### # # 11 11 Special attention should be given to the D# and G , both of which use the same finger but & & & & & & & & & & " "in different& places,& and& the half-&step from& D# to E& where fingers& one& and two& must be& 21 21 very close together. While the student plays the open A string, he can change the position " & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & "from31 third to first position easily because the left hand is free. & & & & & & & & & & 31 " Next, the student should play it in quarter notes.
41 " & 3 & & & & & & & & & 1 "2 1 0 4 2 " #& ! & & !" & & & & & & & 41 # # # ##### # ! $# # $# % & $##### # & ' 51" # & & & # & & &# # # # #& # & & & " " & & # & & & & & & & & 7 51 61 change to first position
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "" " & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & &
61 71 17 & & & & & & & & & & " " & & & & & & & & & & ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "81 71 55 & & & & & " 27" & & & & & & & & & & 86
81" " ' & ' ' & ' ' & ' ' & ' ' & ' " & & & & & 37 86
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "" & & & & &
47
" ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
57
" ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
67
" ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
77
" ' ' ' ' ' ' '
84
" ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Then, play as written.
3 0 4 " $# !1 "2 1 ! %# # # %# # # %##### # ##### # " ! # # & ' & ' ' # # # # # # #
6
"The student( at this( point should( put together( these( sections( (mm. 15–(23 and 32(–35) in the( ( usual manner, beginning slowly and increasing speed. 16
( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( " Episode (mm. 46–57)
26 In this section there are many instances of string crossings, including several
"places( where two( or three strings( are (crossed at (once. These( crossing( should be( played ( ( quite slowly at first with great attention paid to properly controlled bowing. The positions
36 of the elbow and forearm are very important. The elbow should move only slightly
"during( the execution( of these( crossings( and should( preferably( remain( near the level( of the( (
top string. The teacher should instruct the student to stop before each shift, prepare 46 mentally, and then shift unhurriedly with care. The student can begin by working on " ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( measure 47 with the with pepperoni pizza rhythm.
56 3 1 0 1 # # # # # # # # # # # # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( "" ! $ ##### # $ $ $ % % # # # # # #
66 ! ! 7 change to first position change to third position
" %( %( %( %( %( %( %( %( %( %( " prepare A string prepare E string
76 17 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( "" % % % % % % % % % %
84 27 56 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( "" % % % % % % % % % %
37
" % % % % % % % % % %
47
" % % % % % % % % % %
57
" % % % % % % % % % %
67
" % % % % % % % % % %
77
" % % % % % % %
84
" % % % % % % % Then, he should play it in quarter notes, being careful to retake the down-bow on
the high A after the low A down-bow (see marking).
3 1 0 1 $ # # # # # # # # " ! # ##### # % % % & & # # # # # # # ! 7 Next, play as written.
" & & &1 & & & & & & & 2 $# $ 0 '% % $ # # # # # # # ! # % & & & & & & & 17 " # % # " & & & & & & & & & & 9
27"The student& should& repeat these& steps &on measure& 49. & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & 19"
37" & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & 29" & & & & & & & & & & 47" & & & & & & & & & & 39" & & & & & & & & & & 57"
49" & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & 67" The student will now be ready to put the whole passage together, beginning
59" & & & & & & & & & & slowly and increasing speed. In this episode, dynamic contrast is especially important and & & & & & & & & & & 77"will need careful attention. If the student plays with a consistent dynamic level, the music
69" & & & & & & & 57 & & & & & & & & & & 84"
79" & & & & & & & " & & & & & &
85
" & & & & & & will be boring. The teacher should demonstrate this passage with both lack of dynamic
contrast and then with musical playing, and instruct the student to imitate the latter.
Week 4 (mm. 24–31 and 71–74)
Two episodes will be the focus of study for this week. Position shifts and unusual
bowing contribute to the difficulty in these passages.
Bow strokes (mm. 24–27 and 71–74)
Both of these passages consist of running sixteenth notes. Usually in groups of
four sixteenth notes, either the first two notes are slurred or the whole group, but here, the
second and third notes of each group are slurred. The student can practice this bow stroke
with “Perpetual Motion.”
$ # # $$ $ $ $ $$ $$ $ $ $ $ $$$$ $$$$ $$ $$ " # ! $$ $$$$ $ $ $ $$ $$$$ $ $ $ $$ $$
4 $ # # $ "In# measures% & '24–27, the( seemingly( complex( running( sixteenth( -note( groups all( include( the
13 same pattern. The first note of each group is different each time but the other three notes # # "repeat.# At( first, the( student( should( play the( first note( only in( quarter( notes. ( (
4 4 $ 4 4 23 $ $ # $ $# $ $# $ # ### # # ! # # # # # % % % "## # # # # # " ( ($ $ ( $( $ ( $# ($ ( ( ( (
833
Next# # he can play the other three notes without the first note. In the lesson, the teacher "" # % ( %( (% ( % ( % ( % ( (% ( % ( % % might want to play the first note. 43 18 # # " # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( " % % % % % % % % % %
53 28 # # 58 " # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( " % % % % % % % % % % 63 # ## 38" ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
"73 % % % % % % % % % % # # " # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 48 82 % % % % % % % % % % " # # " # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
58
" % % % % % % % % % %
68
" % % % % % % % % % %
78
" % % % % % % %
85
" % % % % % % % & % & % & % & ! #$ $$#$ $$#$ $$#$ $$ #$ $$#$ $$#$ $$#$ $$ ! ' ' ' " !
Then, he can play as written. 6 4 $ 4 0 4 $ $ # 4 0 $ $# $ $# '$ #$ ' #$# ' ' $ '$# # ' '$ $ ' '# ' " "#!# # ### #### # ## ## #### ## ### #### ##### ## # ## ## ## # ## # ## # ## " ! # # # # # ### # ### # # $# # ### # ## # ## # # #$ # # # $ $ $ $ $ $ $# $
164 4 $ # ### #& # & # # #$# # ##% # % % % % % % """## '## #### #' ## ' '% ' % ' % ' % ' % ' % ' % $ $# 12Measure 71–74 has similar bow strokes and can be approached in a similar manner. 26 12 % % % % % % % % % % " Third position (m. 28) "" ' % ' % ' % ' % ' % ' % ' % ' %' %' % 22 This measure is one of the most difficult of this piece because it includes third
36"position,22 % string% crossings,% and a %long slur.% The student% should% practice% it in a% few steps.%
" ' First,% the' student% can' practice% ' the intonation% ' of% third' position% ' with a scale.% ' %' %' % 32 "
" % 2 % % # # #% % % % % % % 46 32 # # # # # # # # ! # ! $ $ $ $ $ " ! 42 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "" % % % % % % % % % % Next, he can play it in the third position without bowing. He can check the 9 " % % % % % % % % % % 56 intonation42 $ of note$ E here with$ an open$ E string.$ $ $ $ $ $ "52 " ' 4 ' ' ' '4 ' ' ' ' ' " % % 4 2 % % % 4 % % % % % " % # # %# # % % % #%! # # % % % % 19 # # ### ! # $ ! % ! % # $ % % % % % % % % % % % 66 " ! " 62 52 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ " ' The bow' stroke is difficult' because' the student' must' control 'the bow speed.' The ' ' 9""" % % % % % % 9 % % % % % % % %% % % % % 29 down-%bow needs% faster speed% than the% up-bow% because% of% %the rhythm.%% The student%% can %% %% % % % % 76"72 " practice62 these bow speeds on an open string. " $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ " % ' % ' % %' % ' % %' % ' % %' ' 19 " % % % 19 % % % % % % % " $ % 39 "82 " !% % ! '% '% %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% % % % % 84 # # & " ! ! ""72 %$ %$ % $ % $ % $ % $ % $ % $ % $ $
1029 " ' ' '29 ' ' ' ' " % % % %59 % % % % % % 49 "" '% '% '% '%" %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% % % % % "82 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 2039 39 " % % % % % % % % % 59 "" '% '% '% '%" %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% % % % % " $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 3049 49
69 "" '% '% '% '%" %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% % % % % " $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 4059 59
79 "" '% '% '% '%" %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% % % % % " $ $ $ $ $ $ 5069 69
85 "" '% '% '% '%" %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% %'% % % % % " $ $ $ $ $ $ 6079 79
"" ' % ' '% '" % ' % ' % %' '% % ' % ' % % %
7085 85
"" ' % ' %' '" % ' % ' % % ' %' % ' % '% % %
80
" ' ' ' ' ' '
86
" ' ' ' ' ' Then, he is ready to play as written.
4 4 #! # # ## $ ! ## % & & & & & & & "
As the student puts these sections together this week, he should focus on accurate notes 9 and rhythm, but should also aspire to a variety of dynamics and phrasing for musical " & & & & & & & & & & playing.
19 Week 5 (mm. 59–70)
" &This episode& is similar& to that &in measures& 24–31. It& uses the &same bow &stroke and& &
also is constructed of an initial melodic note followed by a pattern in running sixteenth 29 notes. The student can apply the instructions given above for this passage. The student " & & & & & & & & & & will need to spend some time playing the whole piece together to achieve smooth
39 transitions between the individual passages.
" & & & & & & & & & &
49
" & & & & & & & & & &
59
" & & & & & & & & & &
69
" & & & & & & & & & &
79
" & & & & & &
85 60 " & & & & & & Concerto in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 6, 3rd Movement by A. Vivaldi
This movement is the third and final of Vivaldi’s A minor Concerto. Like the first
movement, which the student will have just learned, it is in Ritornello form. Using my
guide, the student will approach it in a similar manner, starting with the ritornellos and
moving on to the episodes. The movement is very challenging in terms of shifting,
intonation, and string crossing and will take about 5-6 weeks to learn.
Week 1 (mm. 1–28)
The students should warm up with their tonalization exercise and then practice
scales and arpeggios in A minor. Also, the student should practice the drill found in
chapter II that develops second position, third position, and shifting. The sections for this
week’s practice is the ritornello and introduces much of the material that will appear later
in the movement, either in a similar presentation or varied. Shifting and positioning
provide the difficulty in this section.
Third Position (mm. 1–14)
The first fourteen measures alternate between positions three and one.
Fortunately, there are rests at each place of shifting, which by this point, the student will
be able to play relatively well.
1 3 0 1 !$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ ! " % & $ ' & ' & & ' $ $ $ $ $ $ $ & $ & $ % ( ( # "!$" ' $ ' ' # # 11 change to the first position change to the third position ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( #
21 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # 61
31
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
41
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
51
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
61
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
71
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
81
# ( ( ( ( (
86
# ( ( ( ( ( Third Position, Second Position (mm. 15–19)
In the next five measures, third and second positions are both used. This is the
first time second position appears in a piece in the Suzuki Method. Many students have
trouble with these measures because of the shifting from third position to second and then
second to first. The following steps will be helpful.
a. Play with pepperoni pizza rhythm. The student should remember the placement
of the second finger (like on the B of measure two), and put the third finger in the same
place.
3 2 3 2 3 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ ! # " % %
8 ! ! change to second position change to first position % % % % % % % % % % #
18 b. Play in quarter notes. The student should hold the first finger to next note.
3 2 3 3 2 3 % 1 % %1 % % % % % % % # $ $ $ $ $ $ ! $ # " $ % % % % % % 1______1______28
11 # % % % % % % % % % %
# %c. Play as% written. % % % % % % % % 38
21# % % % % % % % % % %
# % % % % % % % % % % 48
31 % % % % % % % % % % # # % % % % % % % % % %
58
41 # % % % % 62 % % % % % % # % % % % % % % % % % 68
51# % % % % % % % % % % # % % % % % % % % % % 78
61# % % % % % % % # % % % % % % % % % % 85
71# % % % % % % # % % % % % % % % % %
81
# % % % % %
86
# % % % % % Martele (mm. 1–14)
There is an abundance of staccato markings in these measures and they should be
played martele. Martele is usually usually produced by holding the bow against the string
and playing a down-stroke very quickly, releasing the pressure at the end. It produces an
intense affect, with a very slight pause in between notes due to prepare enough pressure
for the next strokes. Students can practice martele with “Perpetual motion.”
$% % % % % % # # % % % % % % % % % $% % % % $% $% % % % % % % % % % $% % % % $ $ $ $ $ $% $% " # ! $% $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $% $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $% $%
6 Then the student should apply this technique to the passage. # # " # & & & & & & & & & &
16 # # " # & & & & & & & & & &
26 # # " # & & & & & & & & & & Harmonics (m. 28) 36 # # The C of measure 28 can be played with harmonics.28 Harmonics are created by " # & & & & & & & & & & pressing the finger very lightly on the string. This means that instead of the normal solid
46 tone,# # a wispy-sounding note of a higher pitch is heard. This is caused by using a light " # & & & & & & & & & & finger touch to block the string's fundamental; the position of the finger determines the
56 first note of that string's harmonic series which is allowed to sound. This passage, # ## & & & & & & & & & & "including the high E (normally part of the fourth position), should be played in the third
66 position. The E should be played by just stretching the pinky higher while keeping the # ## "rest of the& hand in& position& three. & & & & & & &
28 76 # # " # & & & & & & & & 63
84 # # " # & & & & & & & 0 4 4 4 1 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ ! % ! & ! & & & & # " ! !
0 3 4 1 11 2 & $ $& $ $ $ $ $ %$ $$ # # !& & & '& &' &' &' &' &' &' "
2110
Week 2 (mm. 50–52, 62–70, 91–108 and 115–220) ## &' &' &' &' &' &' &' &' &' &' The point of this week’s assignment will be to learn the rest of the ritornello
31 20 passages. The student should begin with [drills]. It is important that the student begin to & & & & & & & & & & ##understand' how 'Ritornello 'form works' in a Baroque' Concerto.' ' ' ' '
4130 Week 3 (mm. 29–49 and 55–61) ## &' &' &' &' &' &' &' &' &' &' Two episodes are covered in this week’s practice, both consisting mainly of
5140 running sixteenth notes. The bow strokes and style of these are very similar to those
##episodes&' in the previous&' concerto&' movement,&' and&' the student&' can draw&' from the&' practice &' &'
of that piece if he encounters any trouble. He should learn these sections slowly and 6150 evenly and gradually increase his speed. ## &' &' &' &' &' &' &' &' &' &' Dynamic contrast
7160 These episodes provide another good opportunity to develop dynamic contrast. & & & & & & & & & & ##Sometimes,' as in' measures' 45–46 and' 47–48, the' student plays' a musical' figure' forte and' ' then immediately repeats it piano. In the lesson, the student and teacher can play in 81 70 alternation producing an echo. Then, the student can play it by himself with sufficient # ' & ' ' & ' ' & ' ' & ' ' & ' #contrast. He will then apply this style to measures 50–54 and any other of a similar vein.
86 80
& & & & & ## ' ' 64' ' ' '
86
# ' ' ' ' '
Trill (m. 49)
The trill in measure 49 will require some careful attention. They will have done
the trill drill in their practice. They need to play the measure without the trill to ensure
accurate rhythm and then play with the trill.
0 1 1 0 $ ! %$$%$!$ $ $ $%$ & & & & & & & # "
In this section, the D# is dotted eighth note, which will not allow for many turns. I 10 suggest a one or two turn trill for this rhythm. # & & & & & & & & & &
0 1 1 0 1& 1 $%$ %$ $%$ %$ 20 ! $%$ $$$$$ $ $ $ $%$!$ $ $ $ ' ' ' ' # " # & & & & & & & & & &
9
30 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' #Week& 4 (mm. 71&–90) & & & & & & & & 19 The focus of this week is the large episode, measures 71–90. It contains many 40 string# crossings' and positioning' shifts' and is' one of the' most difficult' sections' of the ' ' ' & & & & & & & & & & #piece [drills]. 29 String Crossing (mm. 75–83) 50 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # &The student& should &begin the practice& of& these measures& with& the following& basic & & string39 crossing exercise. It involves the pepperoni pizza rhythm and the rests allow for 60 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # & & & & & & & & & & 49 65
70 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # & & & & & & & & & & 59
80 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # & & & & & & 69
86 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # & & & & & 79
# ' ' ' ' ' '
85
# ' ' ' ' ' ' plenty of time to prepare the next note and placement of the elbow.
! $$$$$ $ $$$$$ $ # " % % % % $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 9 Next, the student should practice the outline of notes in which string crossing occurs first
#in quarter% notes,% and then% eighth% notes. % % % % % %
3 3 3 19 0 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 0 $ $ $ $ 0 $ ! %$ %$ %$ # # "% % % % %$ % % % $ & % % $' & $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 29 11 If the student is proficient with their arpeggios, they should play as written, beginning # % % % % % % % % % % #slowly( and increasing( speed( with subsequent( repetitions.( Otherwise,( ( they may (want to ( ( 39 practice the arpeggios without string crossing and then play as written. Special attention 21 % % % % % % % % % % #must be paid to intonation particularly in m. 75-77. For instance, in measure 75, the # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 49 student should place his high third finger for the lowest C# close to his fourth finger on
31#the A% of the D% string. In% measure% 77, he should% use% the fourth% finger% on C#, %and it needs%
to be very close to the 3rd finger on the G of the D string. #59 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
4 4 % % 0 % %0 % 3 % % % % 1 %1 # 4 0 4 0 4 3 4 0 0 1 0 1 1 4 4 4 4 0 # 0 1 0 41 $ $ $ $ # ! $ %$ $$ $$ $ %$ $$ $$ %$ $ $ %$ $$ $$ %$ $$ $$ # " ! $$ $$ $$ %$$ $$ $$$ $$ $ $ $ %$ %$$$ $$$$ $ $ $ $ $ 69 # " %$ $ $ $ $ $%$ $ $ $ $$ $ %$$ $$ $ ( $ !%($$ $$ ( $ $( ! (%$$!"$$( $ ( ($ ( ( # 0 $ " ! " $ ! ! 3 " 7# % 0 % "% % % % " % % % % 7 $ 3 $ $ %$ $ $ 51 $ $ $ $ $ # %$$ $$ $ %$ $$ $&$ & & & & & 79 $ ! $ $ $ $ & & & & & & # %$"$ $$ $ # ( $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 15# % !" % % % % %
#15 & & & & & & & & & & 6185 Second position (m. 84, mm. 86–88) # & & & & & & & & & & #25# ( % ( % ( (% ( % ( % ( ( % ( ( The shifting in these measures involves the second position, which will still be & & & & & & & & & & #25 71 less familiar at this point than the third position. In m. 84, the student can practice the
35 & & & & & & & & & & # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # & & & & & & & & & & # 66 35 81 45 & & & & & & & & & & # ## & ( & & (& & & ( & & ( & & (
45 55 86 & & & & & & & & & & # # & & & & & & & & & & # ( ( ( ( (
65 55 & & & & & & & & & & # # & & & & & & & & & &
75 65 # & & & & & & & & # & & & & & & & & & & 83
#75 & & & & & & & & # & & & & & & & &
83
# & & & & & & & & shift between the G and C with the pepperoni pizza rhythm. Then, they should practice
the C major scale in the second position.
2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 $$$$$ $ $ $ $ ! $$$$$ $ $ $ $ # " % & & ' ( ' ( & % %
! 10 prepare second position.
#Practi%ce the scale% in second% position. % % % % % % %
1 20 $ $ $ $ $ $ ! $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ # " $ $ ! % % % % % # % % % % % % % % % %
10 Then play as written. 30 2 2 # % 1 % $ %0 4 % % % % % % % $ $$$ $ $ $ # !% $$$ % %$ $$$$% % % % % % % %% %% % # " 20 40 9 % % % % % % % % % % # For mm.% 86–88, %the shifting% will be easier% than %others because% there %are notes on% open % % ## % % % % % % % % % % 30 strings which immediately precede the shifting. However, practice of second position 50 19 here with% the pepperoni% pizza% rhythm% will be particularly% %helpful. % % % % # # % % % % % % % % % % # % % % % % % % % % % 40 60 Week 5 (mm. 109–114 and 122–129) 29 % % % % % % % % % % # % This week% the student% will work% on two %smaller episodes.% [drills]% % % % ## % % % % % % % % % % 50 String crossings (mm. 111–114) 70 39 # % The string% crossings% are especially% difficult% in these% measures.% The student% should% % % % % % % % % % % % ##first practice% the %bow strokes% without %the fingering.% The bowing% needs% to played% with % % 60 little pressure even while practicing in a slow tempo. 8049 # % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % ## % % % % % % % % % % 70 67 8659 % % % % % % % % % % # ## % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %
80 69 # % % % % % % # % % % % % % % % % %
86 79 # % % % % % # % % % % % %
85
# % % % % % % 0 3 4 4 1 2 2 2 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ ! $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ % # " & ' ( ( ( ( 0 0 0
$$ $$$ $ $$ $$$ $ 0 ! 3 % 4 % % 4 % % % 10 # " 1 $ $ 2 $ $ ! 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ ! $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ % & ' ( ( ( 9 Next,# " the student should play the melody line alone.
4 0 3 4 # % 1 2 % % % % % % % % % 18 $ $ $ $ $ ! # " ' ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 19 % % % % % % % % % % #Then,28 the student can practice the notes that are not on open strings.
0 3 4 4 ( 2 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 29 # 1 2 2 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ ! $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ % # "% % % % % & ' % ( % (% (% %( # 38 0 0 3 4 4 1 2 0 Finally, the student2 can play2 as written,3 listening for4 proper$ intonation4 especially between 10 1 ( (2 ( $ $ ( $ $ ( ( ( ( ( ( 39 # 0 2 0 0 2 0 0$2 $ 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 $ $ 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 $ $ ! $ $ $$ $$ $ $$ $$ $ $$ % &$ ' ( ( ( ( the! Es#$ played$"$ $ with$$ the$ second$$ $ $finger$ $in$ third$ $ position$$ $ $and$ those$$$ on% the open string. # " % % % % % % &% ' %( %( %( # 48 0 3 4 4 10 1 4 0 2 0 23 0 0 2 40 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 18 1 2 ( ( ( $ ( $ ( $ $( $ ( ( ( ( 49 # $ $ $ $ $ $! $ $$$$ $$$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ % & ' ( ( ( !# " # " % % ' % ( % ( % ( % ( % (% (% %( # 58 4 0 The second episode3 this4 week is a bit easier. The student needs to practice both of these 1 2 18 $ $ 5928 # $( $ $ ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( first slowly! and gradually picking' up( speed. ( ( ( ( ( ( # " ##Week%( 6 %( %( %( %( %( %( %( %( %( 68
28 This week will be devoted to the piece as a whole. The student will need to play 38 69 #0 ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
through# it( many times( at varying( speeds (each day. Evenness( of( rhythm and( good ( ( ( ## %( %( %( %( %( %( %( %( %( %( intona78 tion are very important as are dynamic contrasts and articulation. 38 0 7948 # ( ( ( ( ( ( (
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ## ( % ( %( ( % ( ( % ( %( ( % ( 85
48 8558 # ( ( ( ( ( (
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ## ( % ( %( ( % ( ( % ( %( ( % ( 68 58 68
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
68 78
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # ( ( ( ( ( ( (
78 85
# ( ( ( ( ( ( ( # ( ( ( ( ( (
85
# ( ( ( ( ( ( Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV, 1043, 1st Movement, Violin II
At this point in the Suzuki Method, the student will already have been introduced to the music of J. S. Bach. This particular movement from Bach’s Concerto for Two
Violins in D minor, BWV, 1043 appears twice in the method. The second violin part of this work serves as the last piece of Suzuki Volume Four and the first violin part is the last piece of Volume Five. The student is introduced to the intricate rhythmic and contrapuntal writing and then, after nearly a whole further level is ready to revisit the piece and to master it. It is also the only example of ensemble playing in the series and allows a student in an earlier level to be stretched and challenged by another student slightly ahead of him. However, there is very little difference in terms of needed skill between the two parts and the level of difficulty comes as a bit of a surprise at the end of volume four. For this reason, most students have trouble learning the second violin part.
The first movement of this piece is fairly typical for Bach: it is in ritornello form with fugal elements. The second violin states the theme first and is followed by the first violin four measures later. This fugal material serves as the ritornello and is broken up by episodes. This piece will take five to six weeks to learn well.
Week 1 (mm. 1–17)
As this piece is in D minor, the student, after playing the intonation exercise, should warm up with the D minor scale. To master the many complexities in this piece, he should practice several pertinent drills. This week, trill exercise (mentioned in chapter two) should be used practiced every day. In this piece there is an abundance of
69 string crossings, including several places where two strings are crossed at once. While there is no string crossing in the first twenty-one measures, it is important for the student to get a head start on this issue to be ready for the first time it appears at measure 26.
Suzuki provides an etude for this very purpose and it should be practiced every day while learning this piece.
String crossing practice in Suzuki vol. 4 p. 24
Trill (m. 4, 17)
Trills appear in the second violin part only in measures 4 and 17. The student should first play these measures without the trills to ensure correct rhythm.
Then, the student should add the trills. Teachers should remind the student that the number of trills is determined by the rhythm. However, I find that the two-turn trill
70 and not the four-turn trill is the best for the quarter notes in this concerto movement.
Tied rhythm (mm. 5–7)
Students sometimes have trouble when a half-note is tied to a series of sixteenth
notes, a rhythmic figure which appears frequently throughout this piece. Students will
remember this rhythm from their lessons in Suzuki Volume Three. It is first introduced in 3 4 measures # 19$–20$$ of$ the$$ $Bourreé.$$%$$ However,$$%$$$ in$ $that$$ piece$$$ it$ is$ $tied&$ %with$ eighth notes' and in ' ' " ! $$$$ the Double Concerto, it is often tied with sixteenth notes as well as eighth notes.
6 3 4 %$ #! ( $ %$$$$ $$ ( $ $&$%$$ ' ' ' ' ' " $$$
13 To practice this part, students can play eight sixteenth notes instead of long half note to "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' count exact rhythm and understand the rhythmic relationship.
23 3 4 $ %$$ $$$$$$$$$ "# ! $'$$$$$$'$$%$$ '$ $ ' ' $&$%$'$$ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " $$
After this drill, the student can put it together with the teacher. When one plays sixteenth 6 33 3 4 %$ notes,( the other$ %$ $can$$ play$ the$ (written$ $ rhythm,&$ and then they can reverse. This will force "#"! # ' ' ' %$'$$$$ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' them to listen to each other to hear the correct counting. When the students can play this
13 well,43 they can then apply this technique to other rhythmic complications in the piece. # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "Then"# the student' should' play the' tied rhythm' slowly,' and gradually' increase' speed 'on ' '
repetitions. 23 53 Running sixteenth rhythm # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
33 63
# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " "# ' ' ' ' 71 ' ' ' ' ' '
43 73
# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
53 82
# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
63
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
73
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
82
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' One of most frequent rhythms in this piece is a series of running sixteenth notes.
Because this piece is from the Baroque period, the sixteenth notes should be played with detache rather than with a strong bow stroke. The term détaché simply means "separated" and it can be applied to any notes not linked by a slur. Stopping the bow on the string deadens the vibrations and thus creates a muted accent, off-the-string strokes, and smooth bow changes leave no audible gap between each note. Students can utilize the Perpetual
Motion Variations for this technique. Since they will already know this musical material, they will be able to focus on the bow stroke.
Now the Student can apply this same bow stroke measures 8–9.
Like with the other weeks of practice, after working on a few of the technical difficulties, the student should begin to put this passage together, starting slowly.
Week 2 (mm. 25–37)
Students should keep practicing the positioning and shifting drills.
string crossing (mm. 26–27)
72 If the student has been diligent with the “Etude for Changing Strings,” he will be
able to apply it to these two measures. In measure 26, the string crossing involves first
position, while measure 27 occurs in third position.
m. 26 of Bach Double Concerto
Measure 27 is a little trickier and the student will need to work even harder at intonation.
When he practices this section, he should first play the D with the first finger of third
position as a guide finger. 4 4 3 3 3 0 0 4 1 1 4 4 3 1 1 1 3 1 3 0 1 0 $ $ 1 $ 4 1 1 $ $ $ 1 1 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ #! $ !$# $ $ $ $ % & $ $ $ $ $ "#"! $ !$# $ $$ $ $ % & $ $ $ $ $ $
" " 8 8 (guide finger)$ $$ $$ $ $ $ $ $ $$ $ "# # ' '! $ ! $ $ $ $ '$ $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Then," play without this D.$ $ $
4 3 16 0 4 3 1 1 16 $ $ 0$ $ 1 1 $$$ #! $ $ $ $ $ $$$ ( ( ( ( & ' ' ' ' ' " $ $$$$ "#! $ $ $ ( ( ( ( & ' ' ' ' '
23
"23# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "# Intonation' (m.' 34) ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 33 At measure 34, many students tend to lift the first finger at F. However, it is
"33# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' important to keep the first finger on F, while playing B with the second finger, so that the # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 43 place" is the same and in tune better. "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 43
53 "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 73 "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
53 63
# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "#" ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
73 63
"#"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
82 73 "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
82
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 4 4 3 3 3 0 1 0 1 4 1 1 1 $ $ 1 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ "#! $ !$# $ $ $ % & $ $ $ $
8 " $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ "# ' ! $ $ $ $ ' ' ' '
4 3 16 0 1 1 $ $ $ $ $ $$$$ "#! $ $ $ ( ( ( ( & ' ' ' ' '
23 1 3 0 1 $2 $ 1 $% % $ $ $$$$ $ $ $$ "#! $$ )$ $ ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 1______
At31 this point the student will practice the whole passage in the normal manner.
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
41 Week 3 (mm. 38–60)
"# There' are several' difficulties' in this' passage,' but the student' should' notice that' ' ' most are not new. By this point, they will have already worked on the tied rhythms that 51 are pervasive as well as the type of shifting that occurs in measures 48–49. The teacher "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' should point out these places and the student should learn to apply techniques they have
61 worked on before these instances. A new difficulty in this week’s practice will be the
bow" strokes# ' in measures' 50–51,' where the' first three' notes are' slurred followed' by 'a ' '
fourth71 note that is detached.
"# Bow' Stroke (mm.' 50-51)' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Student can first practice these bow strokes with “Perpetual Motion.” 81
$ ### ' $$ $$ $ $$ ' $$ $$ $' $$$$ $$$$'$$$ $$ ' " # ! $ $$$$ $ $ $ $ $ $$$$ $ $ $ $$$ $ $
86 4 # $ ## % "When"# the&' (student) ' plays* the slur* for the' first* three* notes, he'* should bow* slowly*' with only* a '
13little amount of pressure. On the fourth note of the sixteenth group, he should bow
# # "quickly# *but lightly.* Then,* the student* can play* these* measures* with separate* bowing* to*
23check the intonation.
# # 4 # * * * 4 * * * * * * * " $ &$$ $ &$$ #! $$$ %$$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ %$$$ $$$ #$$ ' ' ' " &$ $ 33 $ # ## 6 " * * * * * * * * * * 74
"43 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' # # " # * * * * * * * * * * 16
53 "# # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " # * * * * * * * * * *
26 63 # # ""## '* *' * ' * ' * ' * '* *' * ' * ' '
73 36 # # " # * * * * * * * * * "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
82
46 # # " # * * * * * * * * * "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
56
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
66
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
76
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
84
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Finally, he can play it as written.
4 $ $ 4 $ $ $ $$&$ $ $$ $ $$&$ $ "#! $ $ %$ $$&$ $ $ $ %$ $$ #$$$ ' ' ' $
6 After this, the whole section should be put together in the usual manner.
" # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Week 4 (mm. 60–ending) 16 Second Position (mm. 60–63) # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " These measures are among the most difficult in the entire piece. They are in
second position and there are lots of accidentals. Furthermore, it is sixteenth notes so the 26 student should practice this part with great attention. William Starr provided some useful "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' suggestions for this passage. Students should concentrate on the intonation of half steps
36 and whole steps. The fingers should be close together for half steps. Also, practicing this
"type# of' material with' the pepperoni' pizza' rhythm' will provide' enough' time to fi'gure out ' '
the correct interval for proper intonation. 29 So, the following steps will aid the learning of 46 these measures. "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' First, practice with pepperoni pizza rhythm.
56
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
66
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
76 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " 29 The violinist
84 75 "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' When the student plays this passage with the pepperoni pizza rhythm, he should listen to
the intonation very carefully and check the intonation with open strings E, A, D, and G.
The next step is to play with separated single short bow strokes.
Then, the student should play as written. This drill should be applied to the other
tricky passages, perhaps a different one each day
4 $ $ 4 $ $ Shifting (mm.$ 74$-$76)&$ $ $$ $ $$&$ $ "#! $$ %$ $$&$$ $$ %$ $$ #$$$ ' ' ' For this section, Suzuki gave the practice suggestions and preparation$ exercises in 1 1 6 0 0 0 1 4 4 Suzuki Volume $Four.30 The student can practice while paying attention to the intervals # $$ $$ $$$ $$$ $ ) ' ' ' ' " ! $ $ $$ $$ $$ $ $$$( between $the1______first and third$ 1______fingers. $ $&$
12 1 3 1 3 1 3
4 #! $ * $ * 4 * ' ' ' ' ' ' " $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $&$ $ $ $ $&$ $ "#! $$ %$$ $$&$$$ $$ %$$ $$ #$$$ ' ' ' Next21 the student can practice it with separate bow. $
6 0 1 0 1 "# ' ' ' 0 1' ' 4 4' ' ' ' ' $ $ #! $$ $$ $$ $$ $$$ $$ ) ' ' ' ' " $$ $$$ $ $$$ $$ $$ ( 31 1______1______&$ 12 "# 1' 3 ' 1 3 ' 1 3 ' ' ' ' ' ' '
"#! $ $ * $ $ * $ * ' ' ' ' ' ' 41 $ 21 # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " 30 "Suzuki# volume' 4. ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 51
31 "# ' ' ' ' 76 ' ' ' ' ' ' "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 61
41 "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 71
51 "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 81
61 "# ' ' ' ' ' "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 86
71 "# ' ' ' ' ' "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
81
"# ' ' ' ' '
86
"# ' ' ' ' ' 4 $ $ 4 $ $ $ $&$ $ $ $ $&$ $ "#! $$ %$$ $$&$$$ $$ %$$ $$ #$$$ ' ' ' Finally the student can play as written. $
1 1 6 0 0 0 1 4 4 $ $ #! $$ $$ $$ $$ $$$ $$ ) ' ' ' ' " $$ $$$ $ $$$ $$ $$ ( 1______1______&$
12 This passage should then be played by the student first slowly and with subsequent
repetitions,"# ' gradually' increasing' speed. ' ' ' ' ' ' '
22 Week 5 (Ensemble Playing) "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Ensemble playing itself is a skill that needs to be addressed by the teacher at this
point.32 Suzuki himself stressed the importance of ensemble, maintaining that when the
student"# plays' with other' students,' not only' do these 'make for enjoyable' sessions,' but' by ' ' hearing and playing with more advanced students than himself, his own playing will 42 improve greatly. However, the only ensemble piece that Suzuki includes is the Double # ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Concerto," making the skills derived from its learning even more important. In this piece,
the52 two violins alternate with each other, both taking turns with the melody. Please see
example 12. When the first violin has the melody, the second violin needs to play at a "# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' lower dynamic level and vice versa. Remind the students to listen to each other.
62
"# ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
72 " # '
77 discussed example 10. Before palying the whole piece together, the student and teacher can play the difficult passages together to match.
78 CONCLUSION
I have presented a pedagogical guide to Suzuki Violin School, volume Four using the earlier pieces and exercises from the Suzuki Method, focusing on intonation, shifting, positions, string-crossing, rhythm, trills, and ensemble playing. I am confident that if teachers and students use these suggestions in their lessons accompanied with patience and careful practice, it will result in the successful learning of these difficult but rewarding pieces. I believe this document can help other teachers use Suzuki’s own approaches to teaching in specific and practical ways.
79
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81
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